*
/s
*■*
'jMWWMwW^^
DECEMBER, 1943
^OLUME 46* NUMBER 12
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED
*ALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
^v^^^.v'^v.v:*^-:^':-:-:^^-:^^^-:':-^^^^:':^^^!^'"?;1^^^^"^:^-"?
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■ ■ .
t is m
pssible
.■■...■■■:■■.■..■
W
o cops m,lw . __ ,
2 cop* m',lw cot
yA cop *•"" Vi head cabbed
AcoPflo°r -m sedges
11^-* „ 4 traverse*:
i/, up- PePper ( melted butter,
^^^erate oven O?* ** side
i° a m°A SUutes. Bf^Stcd butter.
atr tao^ersWab?cabbage^d5
When you serve a roast nowadays, it's a
real occasion. That roast should be treated
with a lot of respect.
Housewives having newer model Roper
gas ranges equipped with "low tempera-
ture" oven are "stretching" roasts by
cooking at 300 to 350° temperatures.
You see, "low temperature" oven cook-
ing reduces meat shrinkage as much as
%, retains nutritive juices, provides de-
sirable drippings for gravy, makes meat
go much farther.
Another effective way of using meat
to greatest advantage is to buy those
cuts requiring fewest points and com-
I bine them with other foods in a cas-
1 serole dish or similar meat "extender .
M
OUNTAIN FUEL SUPPLY C O M P A N Y - Offices in Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo
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I
IN THE GOSPEL NET
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DECEMBER, 1943
737
THE CHURCH IN WAR AND PEACE j
By ELDEH STEPHEN L RICHARDS j
In this book, with characteristic beauty, clarity and force of \
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THE DESERET BOOK COMPANY
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„ , Owned hy the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
738
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
By DR. FRANKLIN S. HARRIS, JR.
A RMY doctors have found that novo-
**caim, much used by dentists to kill
pain, cures sprains very quickly. At one
place, since the novocaine treatment
was started, only one man has had to go
to the hospital; previously the average
time was ten days in the hospital.
-♦
P^ragonflies can fly either forward or
*~* backward with the two pairs of
wings placed one behind the other.
4
\VT hen an enemy threatens the dark-
* * ling beetle, it stands on its head
and sends out a stream of poison gas
from the end of its abdomen. Gas war-
fare is probably best developed among
the formic ants. When their nest is
attacked, these ants prop themselves up,
facing the enemy, curl their abdomens
forward between their legs, and fire
away with small jets of poisonous
spray.
+
/^olor-bundness is usually inherited,
^-* but it may result from injury or
disease.
Tn eleven western states the value of
•*■ irrigated land is about sixty percent
of the over six-billion-dollar value of
all farm lands.
HPhe growing season is usually shorter
■*- in the arid valleys of the northern
part of the United States than the
southern. Yakima, Washington, has 183
frost-free days; Boise, Idaho, 169;
Logan, Utah, 155; Albuquerque, New
Mexico, 196; Phoenix, Arizona, 295;
and Yuma, Arizona, 355.
4 :
Ccandinavia and Finland have sixteen
*"■* million inhabitants while the Ter-
ritory of Alaska with a larger area has
about seventy thousand in a region with
the same average latitude.
4 _
HpHE population in Palestine in the
•*■ time of David ( about 975 B.C. ) was
about three-quarters of a million, and
in the time of Isaiah (about 700 B.C.)
about a million, compared with about
a million and a half at the opening of
the Christian era under Roman rule.
Professor W. F. Albright's estimates of
ancient times may be compared with
the population of about a million Arabs
and six hundred thousand Jews at the
present time.
4
Professor T. T. Read reminds us that
A the first iron coins were made in Chi-
na almost two thousand years ago; at
that time, as now, they were made be-
cause of a shortage of copper.
{Concluded on page 742)
DECEMBER, 1943
A Suggestion for Victory
tJT GRAHAMSbyPURITY
*
LASTING VALUES-
In war or peace, skill in the
fields of stenography, ac-
counting, and general office
work will increase your
value . . . and thus improve
your chances for success.
-K
'Sfficienf School
>f
Get your business training now — at the L. D. S.
Business College, one of the finest schools of its
kind anywhere, at any price.
Write for our free booklet ... today, .
L.D.S. BUSINESS COLLEGE
70 North Main Street
Salt Lake City 1 , Utah
-K
WE Of f ER . . .
A COMPLETE
ENGRAVING SERVICE
From Missionary Portraits to the Largest
Catalogues
Mail Orders Given Prompt Attention
UTAH ENGRAVING CO.
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Wherever They Go
"Enclosed you will find iny subscrip-
tion to "The Improvement Era.' ... I have
obtained a copy now and then from
other church members here on this tiny
island."
Lt. Clarence Shumway, U.S.M.C
c/o Fit. P.M. San Francisco. Calif.
739
T^lmprouemenrlEra
'The Glory of God is Intelligence'
DECEMBER, 1943
VOLUME 46
NUMBER 12
Heber J. Grant,
John A. Widtsoe,
Editors
Richard L. Evans,
Managing Editor
Marba C. Josephson,
William Mulder,
Associate Editors
George Q. Morris, General Mgr.
Lucy G. Cannon, Associate Mgr.
J. K. Orton, Business Mgr,
7HE VOICE OF THE CHURCH'
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS,
MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS, DEPART-
MENT OF EDUCATION, MUSIC COMMITTEE, WARD
TEACHERS, AND OTHER AGENCIES OF THE CHURCH
OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
^Jke (.editor's f-^aae
With Warmest Good Wishes Heber J. Grant 749
L^/iurch creatures »
Border Incident Ellis T. Rasmussen and John R, Kest 752
Evidences and Reconciliations: LXXIH — Why Are the Words
"God" and "Father" Applied to Several Personages?
John A. Widtsoe 769
To Hear His Voice, David A.
Smith .., 745
Mutual Messages: Card Club or
Spingro, Joseph J. Cannon 762
The Church Moves On.— 766
Priesthood : Melchizedek 776
Aaronic : 779
Ward Teaching ..780
No-Liquor-Tobacco Column 777
Music: The Ward Music Guild,
Frank W. Asper.. 781
Lakeview Ward Choir, Alex-
ander Schreiner 781
Genealogy: The Weiss Family
Tree, Karl Weiss '. 782
Special ^jreatumd
Ancient Prophets and the New Day Levi Edgar Young 750
Pioneer Diary of Eliza R» Snow — Part X... 754
Christ, Christmas, and Santa Claus T, Edgar Lyon 756
The Spoken Word from Temple Square Richard L. Evans 758
The Religious Gap in College... Calvin T. Ryan 760
Exploring the Universe, Frank-
lin S. Harris, Jr. ....739
Dona Marina, Interpreter for
Cortez, Charles E. Dibble 741
Telefacts 742
Jenny's Letter, Bernice Brown.— 743
Debt of Gratitude, Albert L. Zo-
bell, Jr. ..743
"No Cussin' " Says the Army,
Lt. Horace J. Gunn 744
The Religious Attitudes of
Noted Men, Leon M. Strong. .748
On the Book Rack..... .764
(editorials
Books for Children, Marba C.
Josephson ...765
Homing: Merry Christmas to
You! Katherine Dissinger....770
Handy Hints 772
Cooks' Corner, Josephine B.
^ Nichols 772
Scripture Puzzle Cake, Jesse
M. Beishline 773
God Moves in a Mysterious
Way, O. F. Ursenbach 774
News from the Camps ...775
Index to Advertisers 788
Your Page and Ours 800
Concerning Synthetic Substitutes for Character.. Richard L, Evans 768
Christmas, 1943 Marba C. Josephson 768
stories, l~^oetm} L^ro55word frazzle
oeim,
Baptiste, Son of Bird Woman (Conclusion)
VL
Ann Woodbury Hafen
Glory Is of the Spirit Dorothy Clapp Robinson
A Snowbound Christmas Dinner James P. Sharp
Time Erased, Delia A. Leitner....740 Frontispiece: Christmas Prayer
Winter, Catherine E. Berry 741 and Answer, Thornton Y.
Poetry Page 746 Booth 747
Scriptural Crossword Puzzle 790
757
761
763
AT this season of the year, roads have but one turning— the turning home. The
distance may be far, as far as Africa or the Aleutians, and there will be little travel-
ing, but wherever they are, men and women will backtrack in their thoughts to the
homes they know and the Christmas they remember. This photographic study evoking
a wintry but familiar mood is by Harold M. Lambert.
740
Jime (L*ra6ed
By Delia Adams Leitner
HThe little boy that used to be
On Christmas morning watched
the tree.
He hid beneath a man's disguise,
But, oh, the sparkle in his eyes.
He watched small son with great
delight
And how his heart leaped at the
sight
Of Junior opening up his toys,
And then — there were two little
boys.
One half past three and one — oh
well,
His age in years why need to tell;
It did not matter as they played
With auto, train, and gay parade.
A circus, games, toy pop-gun,
I'm sure I do not know which one
Was happier — the half past three
Or grown-up lad that used to be.
EXECUTIVE AND EDITORIAL
OFFICES:
50 North Main Street, Salt Lake City 1, Utah.
Copyright 1943 by Mutual Funds, Inc., a Cor-
poration of the Young Men's Mutual Improve-
ment Association of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. All rights reserved. Sub-
scription price, $2.00 a year, in advance; 20c
single copy.
Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City,
Utah, as second-class matter. Acceptance for
mailing at special rate of postage provided
for in section 1103, Act of October, 1917,
authorized July 2, 1918.
The Improvement Era is not responsible
for unsolicited manuscripts, but welcomes con-
tributions.
All manuscripts must be accompanied
by sufficient postage for delivery
and return.
NATIONAL ADVERTISING
REPRESENTATIVES
Salt Lake City: Francis M. Mayo
San Francisco: Edward S. Townsend
Chicago: Dougan and Bolle
New York: Dougan and Bolle
MEMBER OF THE AUDIT BUREAU OF
CIRCULATIONS
A MAGAZINE FOR EVERY
MEMBER OF THE FAMILY
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
2>,
>ona manna
INTERPRETER FOR CORTEZ
By DR. CHARLES E. DIBBLE
ON the 15th of March, 1519, Cortez,
anchored along the coast of Ta-
basco, Mexico, received the
chieftains and leaders of the Tabasco
region. They brought, as presents for
the Spaniards, bundles of blankets and
twenty Indian maidens. Numbered
among the twenty women was the none
too well known heroine of the Con-
quest, Dona Marina. Dona Marina, al-
so called "La Malinche," was called the
"Tongue" of Cortez. Dona Marina was
the daughter of a Mexican chieftain.
While she was very young her father
died, and her mother gave her to some
Indian merchants who traded her to
other Indians of Tabasco. She grew up
mastering the Indian languages and
DONA MARINA (LA MALINCHE) INTERPRETING
FOR CORTEZ
dialects of southern Mexico. After com-
ing to Cortez she quickly mastered the
Spanish language and remained by the
side of Cortez throughout all his Mexi-
can campaigns.
Ever loyal to the Spaniards, Dona
Marina was more than an interpreter.
Her knowledge of Indian customs and
standards enabled her to aid Cortez in
outwitting a numerically superior ene-
my. Time after time her ability to sense
the meaning of Indian ways saved the
Spaniards from complete annihilation.
At Cholula the conquerors escaped a
trap only by the alertness and loyalty of
Dona Marina.
Present-day Mexicans look at one of
their highest mountains, La Malinche,
and remember the Indian girl who inter-
preted for Cortez.
WINTER
By Catherine E. Berry
Winter, with hoary breath, blows snow-
flakes down
With gentle touch of white to cloak the
town,
And all the trees that stood with bare arms
raised
Are hung with silver crystals — -those who
praised
The verdant loveliness of spring's bright
flame,
Can find no words for this, no glowing
name;
Each season claims a beauty of renown,
But only Winter wears a regal crown!
DECEMBER, 1943
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
There is no place, or no one to whom you could send these two
companion books who would not welcome them and cherish them,
and thank you for long years to come
* THIS DAY. . . AND ALWAYS
By Richard L. Evans
and
• UNTO THE HILLS
By Richard L. Evans
$1.50 Each
These brief sermonettes from the nationwide Temple Square broad-
casts were published by Harper & Brothers in New York, and have
been given wide acceptance by Church members and non-members
alike, in all walks of life.
ORDER NOW FROM
THE BDDKCRAFT CD.
P. O. Box 63, Salt Lake City 1, Utah
— n-i< iQi in. in. iri< >r,t ,n, in< mi n-i< >n« inr-^a
THE BDDKCRAFT C
BOER NOW:
=>oc=^
D . 8
P. O. Box 63, Salt Lake City 1, Utah
□ This Day . . . and Always $1.50 □ Unto the Hills $1.50
By Richard L. Evans By Richard L. Evans
Also please send me the books checked below.
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D Please send C.O.D.
(^=3
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By Paul Bailey
□ Gospel Standards $2.25
By Heber J. Grant
□ Sam Brannan and the California
Mormons $1.75
By Paul Bailey
□ The Gospel Kingdom $2.25
By John Taylor
□ For This My Glory $2.50
By Paul Bailey
□ Evidences and Reconciliations $1.85
By John A. Widtsoe
"' >"< >"' >"< "•» >"' >"< >"' >"' >"<•
□ In the Gospel Net
By John A. Widtsoe
□ Signs of the Times
By Joseph Fielding Smith
□ Way to Perfection
By Joseph Fielding Smith
$1.25
$1.25
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Name ..
Address
741
ftp U
******
'HOUSANDS of servicemen
going home for the holidays will
use the facilities of hotels. You
can help them enjoy their trip
en route home and those few brief
hours with their loved ones this
Christmas by staying at home dur-
ing the holidays. We at the Hotel
Utah always welcome your visits,
but we know that you want our
men in the service to come first — to
get the happiness they so well
deserve!
TEUFACT
SHRINKAGE OF THE OCEAN
1620
MAYFLOWER
1838
FIRST STEAMSHIP
1938
"QUEEN MARY-
1943
FERRY COMMAND
PICTOGRAPH CORPv
£^
15 DAYS
£Hh
A*fi
4 DAYS
A^f
\
"***%*;
7 HOURS
Exploring fhe Universe
(Concluded from page 739)
'"Phe Arctic Mediterranean Sea, as the
ocean waters north of Greenland,
Iceland, and Orkney Islands are some-
times called, is exchanging water with
the North Atlantic Ocean continuous-
ly, mostly through the Denmark Strait
between Greenland and Iceland. It
would take about 165 years for a com-
plete change of this northern water,
however, even with a change of over
four and a half million cubic yards of
water each second.
has been established by recent study
with x-rays of specimens made by J.
B. Hannay in 1880.
I^Tan, and most animals with back-
■L"A bones, have both rods and cones
in the retina of the eye. Some animals
which are active only during the day,
have a pure cone retina, while others
active only at night have only rods.
•♦
P\iatoms, minute marine animals, can
■L^ not only obtain their silica when
dissolved in water, but can also directly
from solid minerals such as nacrite.
HPhough the swifts are wonderful fli-
■*■ ers, living almost entirely in the air,
their short legs are adapted only for
clinging. These birds when they get on
the ground cannot get off unless they
can fall far enough to get play for their
long thin wings.
4 :
"Dussian experience has found that
**■ fliers have a particular need of
vitamin C since they expend it quickly.
♦
"T\iamonds in small quantity can be
*~^ produced in the laboratory. This
T^hough most birds lay eggs deco-
■"■ rated with various colors, those
birds laying in dark burrows or holes
generally have white eggs.
«♦
HThe average size of comets is from
"*• thirty thousand to one hundred and
fifty thousand miles in diameter, with
the size of a comet getting smaller as it
travels nearer the sun. The tail of a
comet stretches out frequently fifty mil-
lion and occasionally one hundred mil-
lion miles from the head.
TELEFACT
fi^> U^>^<^^> <£&^t <£&> Ute~>
4 out of every 7 families in the U.S.
moved at least once between 1935-1940
PICTOGRAPH CORPORATION i,
742
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
evtviiA 6
c^Lett
er
By BERNICE BROWN
SO
Ovid, Idaho
Christmas Eve, 1943
Dear Son:
It is so near Christmas here at
the ranch that I can almost see the
bells standing on tiptoe waiting to ring
in the festive day. Evelyn has spent half
the evening popping corn and as fast
as it grows into a curly white mound,
Bobby sticks in his fist and neatly ra-
tions it. I don't know what she would
do if you were here snitching, too.
The tree looks like bargain day at
the Five and Ten. Little Elna super-
vised the decoration as always, and the
china angels we've had since your first
Christmas are kept busy dodging the
hodge podge of candy canes and paper
chains. Elna was delighted with the
results and has just bounced up to bed.
I expect to see her sliding down the
banister at dawn and racing with flushed
cheeks to the fireplace for the purely
scientific purpose of determining the
cause of her stocking's bulges. . . .
Dad's rubber boots are irrigating the
rag rug by the stove. They have more
patches on them than our tires. He's
just come from the barn. Your heifer
wisely chose this holy night to give birth
to her first calf, a fine little bull. Dad
says she seems quite pleased with her-
self and was smugly lapping the wobbly
little fellow with her tongue.
The snow is quite deep this year. As
I sit here writing, the wet white flakes
are pressing damp faces against the
windowpane. The window where your
service star hangs is bright with holly. I
wish I could send you a few sprigs for
your submarine. . . .
Elna begged to play the piano while
we sang the carols. Her Christmas spirit
invaded the keys and camouflaged the
technical errors. Silence filled the places
where you used to come ringing in on
the tenor. I filled these silences with
the echoes of your voice from the first
childish warblings to the time when we
all smiled (secretly of course) as your
voice was trying to leap the hurdles
from childhood to manhood when it
was a succession of squeaks and bass
rumbles. . . .
I remembered the last Christmas you
were here. That was when your best
girl joined our family sing. Your newly
given diamond made a brave sparkle
on her finger, tiny snow diamonds still
clung to her damp curls, but the bravest,
sweetest sparkle of all was in thejshin-
ing depths of her eyes. . . .
Last year you didn't receive our pres-
ents. You Wfote saying you dldj|'t mind
that so mu^i. . . just knowing' we had
sent them was enough.
Christmas will be as faded as the
robes of our china angels when this let-
ter reaches you. But tonight I feel that
you will know that I'm writing it. You
must know that, though we miss you,
we are proud of what you have chosen
to do.
So on this evening of our Savior's
birth we are waiting at home for you
to bring peace on earth.
All my love and a prayer,
Your mother.
DEBT OF GRATITUDE
By Albert L. Zobell Jr.
"T'd like to pay another voluntary in-
stalment on a perpetual debt. If
it were not for the love my forebears
had for the gospel, which was greater
than regard for family, friends, or any
worldly thing, I myself might have been
a conquered slave in a long overrun
country now.
"That debt, of course, is payable in
part in tithing — a full tenth of all my
substance. It's been a near-century since
the heads of my family accepted the
warning testimony of two elders, but
DECEMBER, 1943
the church has yet to send a statement
of accounts receivable.
"From the beginning we fared better
in this land. Our standards of life have
been higher by any method calculated
by men than those who saw fit to turn
a deaf ear to that message. Lately the
dividends have been higher. My home
hasn't been bombed, my family and
friends, innocent civilians, haven't been
casualties of war. . . . Yes, I consider a
tithing receipt as a kind of token pay-
ment for all the opportunities and bless-
ings my affiliation with the church has
given me."
ZH/XKEES
TXOCO MAR6AX/ME
/C/SE DVX&&
r/eoco
MAZ6AZ/M
BECAUSE Wm
/Z/A& /rs
nm^s^
7XOCO
BECAUSE /r$
7fu0!£^
$&
..THE &///.DKEM
10YE /T TOO/
/vseWM&S
rxoco
MAXGAX/tfZ ff S
BECAUSE /rjt SO tfj
SI
w
The choicest of fresh vegetable oils and
pasteurized skim milk from American
farms give DURKEE'STROCO MAR-
GARINE that mild, sweet, country-fresh
flavor. Buy DURKEE'S TROCO
MARGARINE today.
Every Pound Contains
Pasteurized
Cultured Skim Milk
PufSm
^ .OLEOMARGABlNi
743
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7?
If jo L^uMiri
SAYS THE ARMY
By LT. HORACE J. GUNN
Quartermaster Corps, A.U.S.
A recent editorial appearing in a
southern newspaper stated that
profanity in the army was at its
peak. This statement undoubtedly
voices prevailing civilian opinion. Ref-
erence is frequently made to the sup-
posed use of profane and hard language
by the army's generals.
It appears that some of our civilians
and members of the press are somewhat
misinformed. I am an instructor at a
school for officer candidates. As part of
the course candidates are told to avoid
use of profanity or obscenity when ap-
pearing before their men. This informa-
tion comes from a basic field manual,
issued for use by all personnel in the
army. It is considered that frequent use
of profanity and any use of obscenity,
especially by an officer when instructing
his men, will result in their losing re-
spect for him. In addition, it will lower
his own dignity.
Many individuals going into the army
seem to consider it necessary to be re-
garded as tough in order to be a success-
ful soldier and win promotions. That is
not the case. In becoming an officer, the
use of rough language is not something
to be acquired, but avoided. In army
life as in civilian life, constant use of
profanity and obscenity indicates lim-
ited vocabulary and often an utter in-
ability to control one's temper.
General George Washington's atti-
tude toward profanity is a matter of
history:
The general is very sorry to be informed
that the foolish and wicked practice of
profane cursing and swearing, a vice here-
tofore little known in an American army, is
growing into fashion. He hopes the officers
will, by example as well as of influence,
endeavor to check it — and that both they
and the men will reflect that we can have
little hope for the blessing of heaven on our
arms, if we insult it by our impiety and folly.
Washington's words to his army over
one hundred fifty years ago can well
apply today.
744
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
TO HEAR II. <\l.
oice
By DAVID A. SMITH
President, Temple Square Mission and
Acting President, Canadian Mission
During a tour of the Canadian Mis-
sion we found a little elderly lady
in a "woodshed at the rear of her
home. She was trying to cut into small
lengths a pile of wood which had been
placed nearby. It was her first meeting
with my companions — two elders I had
taken with me.
She did not hear us as we approached
and was standing with an ax-handle in
her hand, the ax-head resting upon the
ground. I reached for the ax-handle
and as she looked up she exclaimed,
"Oh, you are the elders."
The stinging fall breeze was penetrat-
ing. After considerable persuading, she
consented to go into the house and per-
mit us to cut and store her wood.
We removed our coats; one began
to saw, another to split the pieces, and
the other stacked the wood in the shed.
When we had finished, we entered her
home. She had heated water for us to
wash our hands. Her best tablecloth
had been placed upon the little table,
which was in a small room used as
kitchen and dining room. We made our
visit while partaking of the food she
had prepared for us. . . .
Later this woman, Sister Morden,
left her home to reside with her son and
his wife, who lived on a farm about
twenty miles from the little town where
her home was located.
About the middle of February, last
year, I awoke early one morning with
a feeling that I should go and see this
sister. We had a very heavy fall of
snow during the night, making the roads
difficult to travel. I tried to use this con-
dition as a justification for brushing
aside the impression I had received.
After eating breakfast the feeling that
I should go was so strong I telephoned
the district president and asked him to
be ready to go with me.
Upon reaching the road running from
the main highway to the farm home, we
found it had not been cleared of snow.
Taking turns with Elder Willis Taylor
in breaking the way, we floundered
through the snow above our knees for
about one-half mile to the house we
wanted. Upon entering the house I
glanced at the bed upon which our sister
lay. My first thought was that she had
passed away. After removing my over-
coat and overshoes, I approached the
bed and put my hand upon her hand,
which was resting uncovered at her side.
As I did so I leaned forward and asked
if she was awake, for her eyes were
closed. Opening her eyes she answered,
"It's President Smith. I told Will early
this morning that you were coming to
see me today. I wanted to see you,
and I prayed that the Lord would
send you out here so I could talk to you.
DECEMBER, 1943
Early this morning I saw you coming,
and I told Will you would come." She
was speaking of her son.
I asked why she wanted me to come
at that particular time. Her answer was,
"I have a favor to ask of you, and I
want you to make a promise." I assured
her I should be happy to do anything
within my power she desired of me.
Her request was, "President Smith, the
doctor said I cannot live until another
morning. My daughter, who is not a
member of the church, wants me to be
dressed in her black wedding dress; I
don't want to be dressed in black. I
want a nice white dress like the one
Sister Smith made for Sister Collins."
Tt was late that night when we returned
1 to Toronto, but the following morn-
ing, with my daughter to assist me, we
purchased clothing. Several days later
we received a telephone call that Sister
Morden had died.
With my wife and daughter, who had
been with me on similar occasions, and
a companion lady missionary, we called
at the home, arriving soon after the
mortician had completed embalming the
body. The sisters prepared to dress the
body. After they had laid out the cloth-
ing, the mortician asked, "Why go to all
that bother? We cover the body with
a shroud, which is all that is necessary."
I answered, "This woman believed in a
resurrection; she believed that in his
own time, our Heavenly Father will call
forth this body, cleansed and purified to
become again the habitation of her
spiritual body, again becoming a living
soul. She is going to her grave dressed
as she desires to come forth at that
time."
He answered, "That is a beautiful
way to look at it, but I cannot see it."
The funeral service was held at her
home; friends filled the small rooms.
After the service, during which the
teachings of the church regarding death
and the resurrection were explained,
those attending passed the bier and
looked upon the lifeless form. They had
looked upon this woman in life as a
strange individual, who had left the
church of her fathers to become a Mor-
mon. They could not understand that
the "same spirit which doth possess our
body at the time that we go out of this
life, will have power to possess our body
in that eternal world."
She is dead, and through life and
death has found exaltation and eternal
life, for although living alone, she
studied the gospel, she paid her tithes
and offerings, shared her food with and
provided a bed for visiting elders. Her
greatest happiness came to her through
the gospel of our Lord revealed anew
and in the knowledge that death is but
a step from mortality into life eternal
and to greater happiness than a mortal
can suppose. In death she found eternal
life and happiness.
So it will be
creamy rich
all through
AWAY to make milk uniformly
creamy, and more readily di-
gestible, was discovered back in the
early years of this century. Sego
Milk Products Company had been
organized just a short while, and
as soon as the new process — ho-
mogenization — was perfected it was
adopted by this pioneer evaporated
milk company.
Homogenization consists in forc-
ing the milk under tremendous
pressure through tiny openings
only 1/10,000 of an inch in diame-
ter. This breaks the butterfat
globules into smaller particles — so
small that they remain evenly dis-
tributed throughout the milk.
That's why there is no "cream line"
in Sego Milk. The last drop you
pour from the can is as creamy
rich as the first drop.
In milk thus processed the finely
dispersed fat particles are more
readily acted upon by digestive
juices. This is of special advan-
tage in infant feeding.
Another and more recent im-
provement adopted by the makers
of Sego Milk is the enrichment of
every drop of this fine milk with
extra sunshine vitamin D to help
build and maintain strong straight
bones and sound even teeth.
SEGO
MILK
A Utah
Pioneer
Sego Milk Prdducts Company
Originator of Evaporated Milk
in the Intermountain Territory
Plants in
Richmond, Utah; Preston and Buhl, Idaho
745
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"The Improvement Era"
An Attractive Card with Gift
Subscriptions
12 issues $2.00 50 North Main St.
Salt Lake City 1, Utah
(podbu^
THE PROMISE OF OLD
(A Christmas Refrain)
By Bertha A. Kleinman
'"Phe cedars of Lebanon incensed the night,
■*■ The stars hung their pendants resplendent
and bright,
And skies of the orient spanned;
The hills to the mountains are kneeling in
prayer,
A hushed benediction broods over them
there —
The coming of God is at hand!
A sweet adoration breathes out of the sea,
The olive groves whisper the blest mystery,
As angels the message unfold,
The lilies that toil not, and neither spin —
Are waiting to usher the Holy One in —
Messiah the Promised of Old.
The hills to the mountains are kneeling in
prayer,
A hushed benediction broods over them
there,
The coming of God is at hand!
WEAPONS
(Ephesians 6:14-17)
By Kathrine H. Williams
"J WANT with all my might to do my part,"
* The young man vehemently said, "to
call
One blow my own that fells so great a
wrong , . .
Did not the men of other times let fall
Their dreams to fight for right! Now evil
shakes
The world again, I cannot idly stand!
And more! I go with even an elation
Of mind! No soldier of the strongest land
More gladly seized his saber, shield or
bow . . .
Because the hour is later than we think . . .
Because the ill is deeper than we know. . . ."
His mother's voice, evocative of tears,
Made answer that dismissed their frailty,
"Unloose
The bands of hate, my son, and keep in
mind
The weapons that you carry or the use
Of guns were but abuse . . . you win to lose,
Forgetting what the righteous brave have
known:
Your helmet is the helmet of salvation!
Your shield is faith! Your sword is Spirit's
own!
Your loins are ever girt about with truth!
Your breastplate is righteousness! Oh never
cease
To know your feet are shod with the prep-
aration
Of the gospel of enduring peace. . . ."
746
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
By Elizabeth Jane Leonard
VT'esterday
1 He was a little lad
Afraid of the dark and spooky things;
Today he's a fearless, bearded man —
In army parlance, he has his wings.
THE MOTHERS
By Gene Romolo
7V GAIN the mothers trim a tall proud tree.
*~* They hang a star upon its topmost limb,
Symbolic of their Lord's nativity,
And placing it, they think of John or Jim
The son who charts his way among the stars.
Does not each waiting mother this night
share
The Virgin Mother's vigil and her scars?
High, high above the earth (they know not
where)
Their brave young sons are flying through
the night,
To save man and reconsecrate the earth
To Mary's Son, that everywhere, the light
That shone so brightly at his hour of birth —
The light of life and love may shine again
Upon an earth reborn for free-born men.
MODERN CAROL
By Mildred Gofi
THE night is hideous with noise of battle
in the east.
Deck the hall with boughs of hotly for the
Christmas feast.
A million homes are desolate; a million
mothers grieve.
God rest you merry, gentlemen, for this is
Christmas Eve.
The bombers tear the night apart, their
thunder shakes the sky.
Oh, little town of Bethlehem, how still we
see thee lie!
MODERN DAVID
By Frances Hall
TLTe often thought how great Goliath stood
*■ * And mocked with ugly laughter at the
boy,
How none had faith, how shout-provoking
joy
Had swept the unbelieving multitude
To know the young lad's sudden act had
hewed
A longed-for peace. No more need they
employ
The sword and shield. No more could raids
annoy
Or fear breathe mist across the valley's
good.
And often, too, he came to fierce resolve.
"I'll make," he vowed, "my will a valiant
stone
To slay the slothful self whose days revolve
In pettiness." But still the time went by.
The rock decayed. The sling-shot webbed;
and grown
To awesome height, Goliath filled the sky.
RADIO MAGIC
By Helen Maring
Across a sea and continent,
Beyond the war's black worry,
I heard a singing nightingale
Past midnight's hour in Surrey.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Christmas
and
By
THORNTON
Y. BOOTH
From the fighting front, proba-
bly somewhere in New Guinea,
comes this Christmas message.
The author is formerly of Brig-
ham Young University pubtica-
tions staff, and now in the Army
of the United States {Infantry).
THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
— Photograph by Adelbert Bartlett
T*\ear Lord:
I can't repeat the usual Christmas prayer
When "Peace on earth, good will toward men" is but
A tragic mockery. Men seem to care
For nothing now except the means to cut
Their fellows down. Good will and peace are stored
For the duration. And glory Thou
On high art given seems in hope Thy sword .
Will conquer opposition quickly — now!
Is this, then, what Thy angels meant that night
In singing "Peace on earth — "? Two thousand years
Of carnage, torture, fear, and "might makes right"?
"Good will toward men — ■" Does that consist of jeers
( Though sometimes clothed in diplomatic cant )
When conquered peoples ask for charity,
Those weak for help, those poor for food? To grant
Such boons in truly Christian rarity.
Though this may sound impertinent, dear Lord,
I ask Thee, wasn't that an unkind touch
Of Godly irony, directing toward
The earth a peace, good-will pronouncement such
As man had never heard before, proclaimed
By angel song, yet followed by a score
Of war and hate-filled centuries that shamed
Most those who claimed to know Thy gospel lore?
Is it, then, strange that I am filled with doubt
This Christmas, as to what to pray about?
4t
Uy Child,"
The answer seemed quietly to possess
My doubting soul, dismissing fear and strife.
"The angels' message still rings true to bless
Those who will hear. They sang of him whose life
Made possible real peace on earth, whose love
Best demonstrates 'Good will toward men.'
For this, my Son was sent from here above —
To live the way of fullest joy, and then,
Through power undissipated by one breath
Of sin, he blazed the path of glory back
Into my presence, overcoming death.
He clearly taught the Plan, there is no lack
Of opportunity or help for those
Who really seek for peace. The thousands who
Have found it through their faith in Me, who chose
DECEMBER, 1943
To learn the gospel plan and follow through
With living it, have overcome their woe,
Not gaining just the peace the earth imparts,
But that deep comfort only I bestow,
Of unafraid, untroubled, joyful hearts.
It may be true that there has been more strife
Than peace since angels sang that Christmas song.
If so, it is because men chose such life
As brought on war. Wrong always fosters wrong.
A kind, unselfish heart, a soul that's pure — ■
I, even God, can't give men such a thing.
My prophets can but let them know the sure
Inexorable law of harvesting.
Men have my rules, and for themselves must choose
To gain the blessings by obeying them,
Or, as so many have discovered, lose
Their peace — -their all — by disobeying them.
When men think they are Christians by the act
They go through once a year of taking care
Of fellow men in want, the ones who lacked
Life's goods the whole year through, let them beware.
And nations, hoping to preserve themselves
By turning eyes aside while tyrants chain
Some weaker people, and cruel power shelves
All promises of justice, hope in vain.
The selfish has his joy cut at the source
Because his year-round habits pinch his soul;
While peoples who ignore the tyrant's force
Will find their own loved land his further goal.
And though the war is shattering your world
You still may pray for peace at Christmas time,
If you can keep the flag of faith unfurled,
And let a love-filled heart beat out the chime:
'Good will toward men.' Though you must crush a foe
For his injustice — you will find more peace
In raging strife than you would have with no
Love in your heart, should wars forever cease."
HPhe paradox of peace in war! His word,
Familiar, crossed the centuries: I heard —
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:
Not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled,
Neither let it be afraid."
747
*
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It's not always so easy, now, to fill your tub or
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worth the trouble in quicker, easier washing
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Soap is precious today ... all soap.
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748
•- -THE- -•
f\etialon5 ^Tttitu,de6
OF
NOTED MEN
By LEON M. STRONG
on. Thomas Francis Bayard,
Secretary of State in Cleveland's
administration, is quoted as say-
H
ing:
Religious liberty is the chief cornerstone
of the American system of government. . . .
Anything that tends to invade a right so
essential and sacred must be carefully
guarded against, and I am satisfied that my
countrymen, ever mindful of the sufferings
and sacrifices necessary to obtain it, will
never consent to its impairment for any
reason or under any pretext whatsoever.1
Admiral Farragut was a hero of the
Civil War. In 1862 he assisted in the
daring capture of New Orleans. Just
before embarking for the task, he
wrote :
I intend to take New Orleans, God being
my helper.
Two years after this naval triumph
he was assigned to capture Mobile Bay.
The night before this successful feat
was accomplished, he wrote his wife :
I am going into Mobile Bay in the morn-
ing: if God is my helper, and I hope he is;
and in him I place my trust. God bless and
preserve you, my darling and my dear boy,
if anything should happen to me.2
One might hardly expect, at first
thought, to find a religious attitude in
the intrepid pioneers of early American
history. Daniel Boone had helped set-
tle Kentucky and had built him a com-
fortable home in the wilderness of that
state only to be peremptorily dislodged
by an unscrupulous land shark who
took advantage of Boone's trusting na-
ture. Boone had never thought it neces-
sary to get a U.S. patent to his land hold-
ings. Yet, after being dislodged from his
hard-earned property, the old frontiers-
man moved to Missouri, unsoured by
his saddened experience. Talking to his
younger companion when his eyes were
fast dimming, he said :
The Lord has dealt kindly with me. I have
more than I need and no man can lay a
claim against me. ... It has pleased the Lord
to choose me as an instrument for the set-
tlement of Kentucky, but I think my work
was done before I left.
I never had much schooling, Hardy, and
you know that churches are not over plenti-
ful in the backwoods. I'm afraid my religion
is of the homemade kind, and I dare say it
wouldn't seem quite the right thing to a
parson, but I've used it as a guide through
life, son, and it served me well enough. It's
just this: To love and fear God; to believe
in Jesus Christ. To do all the good to my
neighbors and myself that I can, and to do
as little harm as I can help. And to trust
in God's mercy for the rest.3
^International Law Digest, vol. IV, p. 80
2Gordy, History of the United States. 1925 ed.
3C. H. Forbes-Lindsey, Daniel Boone. J. B. Llp-
pincott Co., pp. 315-317
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
^Jke (Ldltord J-^c
aqe
ft
PRESIDENT GRANT
PHOTOGRAPHED IN
THE CHARACTERISTIC
OCCUPATION OF IN-
SCRIBING A BOOK TO
A FRIEND. THE PHOTO
WAS TAKEN BY BOB
DAVIS.
Witk VJ,
armest
ood Wished ana Kjmelmas ot the ^J)eadon
TO MY FRIENDS, MY BRETHREN, AND TO ALL GOOD MEN EVERYWHERE
<d Ljmetivia& or the ^>e
There will be no card this year from me— and so,
will you, each and all of you, accept this as my
personal greeting. My love and my blessings
come with it.
For many years I have sent out cards, books and
booklets — thousands upon thousands of them. I don't
know how many. One year recently as many as ten
thousand cards went out; and one Christmas, not so
long ago, I sent out as many as three thousand copies
of one book — and many others besides — and through
the years there have been many tens of thousands,
most of which I have personally inscribed. But no
matter how many have gone, there have always been
so many more I would like to have remembered — and
this year there are so many
so far away, to whom I
would like to send greet-
ings, and whom I cannot
reach — and so I use the
Era to reach you all, and
would like you to know
that it is as though we had
clasped hands and spoken
greetings to each other.
Always, and more espe-
cially at the approach of
the holiday season, it is a
source of unbounded joy
to me, and fills my heart beyond my power of ex-
pression, to contemplate the fact that God our
Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ have
visited the earth and again revealed the gospel to
man; this fills me with thanksgiving and gratitude far
beyond my power to tell.
Constantly I pray that the Lord will bless each and
every one of our sons and our loved ones who are
away this Christmas, and that he will help each of
them to live in accordance with the principles of the
gospel, so that each may have a claim to the blessings
of the Lord. I pray that, so far as it accords with the
providences of the Lord, each of them may be pre-
served from accident, sickness, and death.
Constantly my heart goes out in the deepest sym-
pathy for the comforting influence of the Lord to be
given to the fathers and mothers of the sons who are
in the war at the present time. I pray with all my
heart and soul for the end of this war as soon as the
Lord can see fit to have it stop. I pray that the spirit
of peace and of increased faith may pervade all na-
tions, and with all the power and authority I have to
bless, I invoke God's blessing upon the church as a
whole and upon the honest in heart everywhere.
My wife joins me in the wish that you and your
loved ones may have a most enjoyable Christmas and
a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and an eternity
of joy in all the days to come.
Sincerely,
DECEMBER, 1943
749
Ancient Prophets and the
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the
glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the
earth, and gross darkness the people: but
the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory
shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,
and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy
land, wasting nor destruction within thy
borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Sal-
vation, and thy gates Praise.
The sun shall be no more thy light by
day; neither for brightness shall the moon
give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be
unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God
thy glory.
•Thy sun shall no more go down; neither
shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord
shall be thine everlasting light, and the days
of thy mourning shall be ended.
(Isaiah 60:1-3; 18-20.)
IT is Christmas 1943. All the years
have led up to the present moment,
and as we look back, we can see the
spiritual strength of early America,
when the love of liberty was a great and
abiding force in the lives of our fore-
fathers. People of America prized
freedom of thought and speech, of press
and assembly. They were fiercely re-
solved to govern themselves, and they
knew that this right would have to be
fought and sacrificed for. In our on-
ward march and growth into material
wealth, we have tended to forget these
truths because life has been made easy
for us. For our sacred truths Ameri-
cans left bloody footprints in the snows
of Valley Forge. For these truths,
Americans perished in their march to
open the mighty West. They fought at
Antietam and Gettysburg. They gave
their lives to the spread of the Christian
religion, to science and social service
in sheer devotion to the ideal of a bet-
ter day. For this better hour, our own
men fell in the fury of the Argonne, and
as we write these lines, thousands of
the youth of America and other coun-
tries who love their God, are dying on
the battle fronts of the world.
The Prophet Elijah
Eight hundred years before the com-
ing of the Messiah, the prophet Elijah
came unto the people of Israel and said :
"How long halt ye between two opin-
ions? If the Lord be God, follow him.
But if Baal, follow him." Through the
long process of the centuries, even after
the Redeemer of the world came and
restored life to mankind and gave them
the admonition to love God and to stand
for the truths of revealed religion, men
have been drifting away until the Chris-
tian world has refused to commit itself
to revealed religion, and in its "open-
mindedness," so much in fashion today,
750
people fear to give themselves to sacred
things. In this great conflict going on at
the present, it is not only the form and
conception of government that are at
stake, not only the issue between un-
restricted competition and planned co-
operation in our economic life, not only
our system of education — but civiliza-
tion is driven to accept or reject the final
bases of morals and spiritual life for
EXCAVATORS
UNCOVER
i PAVED STREET
OF ANCIENT
BABYLON
BY DIGGING
DOWN
INTO THE
RUBBLE
OF CENTURIES
at its heart, and subsisted through all
its adverse fortunes. The Hebrew re-
ligion had a forward look. Though it
never forgot past times of divine inter-
position and revelation, the golden age
of the nation was yet to come, when a
"greater manifestation of divine grace
and glory was to be given than any other
time in the past." When the Israelites
were taken into captivity at the begin-
Photo by
Underwood & Underwood
which Christ lived and died. The Chris-
tian world must rise and hear the words
of Elijah of old: "How long halt ye
between two opinions? If the Lord be
God, follow him. But if Baal, follow
him." The world must have a larger
vision and come to a holier purpose.
Nations Rise Against Nations
HP'hroughout human history, peoples
A who have risen to worldly power
have made war on smaller nations with
the sole purpose of conquering and en-
slaving them. In the seventh century
before Christ, Assyria, Babylon, and
Chaldea marched with their armies to
the cities of Israel to conquer and en-
slave the people. Jerusalem had become
a city of homes. The land was produc-
tive and irrigation of the soil made des-
erts blossom. When the people were
forced to war to defend their homes and
religion, there were prophets, who had
inward assurance that they were divine-
ly authorized to speak for God. One
remarkable feature of the Hebrew re-
ligion was this undying hope which lay
ning of the sixth century B.C., the inner-
most spring of their lives was faith in a
supreme Being. They "set their hopes
in God."
The Prophet Jeremiah
God's infinitude in the works of cre-
ation, his universal providence in his-
tory, were preached with great power
by the prophets. Jeremiah, the prophet
of the Exile, taught the people the
words, found in the book of Deuteron-
omy: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with all thy
soul, and with all thy strength." The
exiles carried with them the Law of one
God, and in the teachings of Jeremiah,
they learned the worth of the individual
man. George Adam Smith writes:
Jeremiah had found religion in Judah a
public and a national affair. The individual
derived his spiritual values only from being
a member of the nation, and through the
public exercises of the national faith. Partly
by his own religious experiences, Jeremiah
was able to accomplish what may be justly
described as the vindication of the individu-
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
New Day
Dm f*' resident <=>Levl L^daar Ufowna
OF THE FIRST COUNCIL OF THE SEVENTY
al, of his own separate value before God, and
of his right of access to his Maker. The
prophet was conscious of having belonged
to God before he belonged to his mother,
his family, or his nation. "Before I formed
thee in the body, I knew thee, and before
thou comest out of the womb, I consecrated
thee." It was in the strength of his solitary
experience that he insisted in his famous
thirty-first chapter on the individual respon-
sibility of every man's immediate communi-
cation with God. Though the prophet felt
keenly his separate responsibility and right
of access to God, he nevertheless "clave to
the people with all his heart, and in this
captivity he chose to suffer with them."
And they shall teach no more every
man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, JKnow the Lord: for they
shall all know me, from the least of them
unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord:
for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 32:
32-34.)
It was a new era in the history of
Israel when the exile occurred, and the
year 600 B.C. is suggestive of a period
which concerns world changes, as the
world was then known, for while the
Jews were taken into captivity, many
THE
BRICK FLOOR
OF
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S
THRONE HALL
Beautifully does he tell how every
man should teach his neighbor and every
man his brother. This is expressed in
the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah :
Not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them
by the hand to bring them out of the land
of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, al-
though I was an husband unto them, saith
the Lord:
But this shall be the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel: After those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in
their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall
be my people.
IDECEMBER, 1943
Photo by
Underwood 6 Underwood
families left Jerusalem in groups and
went to Egypt and other parts of the
world. King Zedekiah was a contem-
porary of Jeremiah, and during his reign,
one Lehi with his family was directed
by the Lord to go into the wilderness
and finally across the seas to a land
which in time became known as Ameri-
ca. It is in accordance with this sublime
trust in God by Israel that a whole series
of prophecies are found in holy writ
which speaks of God as the directing
cause of this new era, which resulted
in the coming of his only Begotten Son,
to redeem men from their sins and who
announced the coming of the kingdom
of God upon the earth. He should be of
the lineage of David, and who as the
Messiah, should be the priest of the
Most High God and a teacher of the
sons of men.
Isaiah, A Prophet of Holiness
Tt was in the school of national adver-
A sity and suffering of the people that
Isaiah's insight was trained and purified.
Then, as it is now, when times were
darkest, men longed for light. When
tyrants trampled liberty, men longed
most for freedom. When oppression
bore down deeply, men dreamed most
for liberty. When war came, men
prayed for peace. Man's ultimate dream
is for redemption. . Man's hope is for
salvation. Man looks to the coming of
the Messiah.
Isaiah was the prophet of holiness.
Sitting one day in the temple at Jeru-
salem during a period of profound medi-
tation he had a vision of God enthroned
in heaven. Then it was that he dedi-
cated his life to the Lord. His problem
was to make his conception of Jehovah's
holiness the regulative ideal of conduct.
He devoted his life in lifting the nation's
religion of ceremonial into a religion of
character. Holiness to him was the out-
standing characteristic of God, and
Isaiah gave to him the title of the Holy
One of Israel. Though a multitude of
Israel fell away, yet through a faithful
remnant, the divine purpose would be
accomplished. In Isaiah, sixth chapter,
this is all expressed in the glowing light
of a transcendent vision.
The Assyrians under Sennacherib in-
vaded Palestine and threatened to de-
stroy Judah and Jerusalem. Two hun-
dred thousand strong, and with a repu-
tation of reckless cruelty, this large
army inspired terror in the hearts of
the people. Isaiah stood before the king
and assured him that God would save
the city. A plague destroyed much of
the army of Sennacherib and the rest
went back to their country. It was now
that Judah gained control of the valu-
able Red Sea trade, which meant com-
mercial contact with Arabian, African,
and Indian merchants. His work ex-
tended over a period of forty years. As
resident of Jerusalem, he was a member
of the upper class and was a friend of
kings. Isaiah ranks as one of the great-
est politicians and prophets of all Israel,
and in using the word "politician," we
mean one who fulfils the definition of
Aristotle when he defines "politician"
(Concluded on page 780)
751
PEACE PALACE, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
Symbol of man's hope
— Netherlands Information Bureau Photo
BORDER
By
ELLIS T. RASMUSSEN
and
JOHN ROBERT KEST
Editors:
T am submitting to you two articles dealing with the evacuation of missionaries
from Germany in the late summer of 1939, when hostilities were commencing
on the border of Poland. The first article is by Elder Ellis T. Rasmussen, a mis-
sionary then laboring in the West German Mission, and the second by Elder John
Robert Kest of the Netherlands Mission.
By way of introduction permit me to say that one year earlier when it ap-
peared that war was inevitable the missionaries from the two German missions
were removed, those from the East German Mission going into Denmark and those
from the West German Mission going into the Netherlands. When through the
efforts of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain peace was tem-
porarily patched up, these missionaries returned to their respective fields of labor.
It was agreed at that time that if hostilities should come at a later date the same
procedure would be followed, this plan being understood by all of the mission
presidents who were concerned.
Thursday, August 24, 1939, we were in Hanover holding a meeting with
the missionaries when word was received from the first presidency for us to
notify all of the missionaries to pack and be prepared on a moment's notice to
evacuate Germany. President M. Douglas Wood left our meeting to send this
message to all the missionaries of his mission, and we continued without inter-
ruption until we were through. Similar notice had been sent also to President
Alfred C. Rees of the East German Mission. That night, August 24, 1939, we held
a public meeting in Hanover without giving any intimation that any movement of
missionaries was contemplated.
Early the next morning word came from the first presidency for the mission-
aries in Germany to leave as soon as possible. President M. Douglas Wood and
his wife immediately returned to Frankfurt, headquarters of the mission, by air,
and Sister Smith and I, accompanied by Elder Arnold Hildebrant, left by train.
When I arrived in Frankfurt, there was a message from the presidency instructing
me to move immediately, either into Holland or Denmark, and set up headquarters
where I could look after the interests of the missionaries and the missions in
the impending trouble. There were several remarkable experiences which occurred
at this time, but which I need not mention.
That same night, August 25, Sister Smith and I took train for The Hague,
headquarters of the Netherlands Mission, feeling that this point would be more
centrally located in relation to the missions. When we reached the border of
Holland, to our great surprise we were stopped by the Dutch officials, and after
some argument we were finally permitted to enter that country because we had
tickets for the boat which was to sail in about twelve days from Bordeaux, France.
We were told emphatically, however, that we could have but twenty-four hours
in Holland.
On arriving at The Hague, we soon discovered that the missionaries who had
reached that border had been stopped, that is, most of them. When we learned
this, President Franklin J. Murdock of the Netherlands Mission, on my advice,
wired President Wood to have all the remaining missionaries in his mission head
immediately for Denmark, and this was done.
When I learned that these missionaries could not enter Holland, I saw that
I, too, would have to find my way in some fashion into Denmark. To go by train
back through Germany was out of the question. To go by boat seemed to be
equally impossible under the circumstances. We therefore sought passage by air.
When President Murdock telephoned and asked for passage for Sister Smith
and me by plane, he was informed that every reservation for days was taken.
We asked that the first opening on the plane for Denmark be granted us. It was
Sunday, August 27, in the morning when this request was made. In the early
afternoon the telephone rang and the word came that two seats had been vacated
on the plane leaving that afternoon at five o'clock, or at seventeen o'clock as
they reckoned time. We took them and arrived in Denmark some two hours later,
thus arriving before most of the missionaries who were leaving Germany arrived.
From this point, Copenhagen, the evacuation of the missionaries out of Europe
was conducted.
Now for the stories of these two elders.
Joseph Fielding Smith
Of the Council of the Twelve
I
INSIDE GERMANY
By Ellis T. Rasmussen
glanced into my diary today and
found:
752
Donnerstag, den 31 August, 1939; Koben-
haven [Copenhagen] : We learn today that
we are to leave for America. We have had
a wonderful experience in all here, and have
been blessed. Now we must leave these good
people and goodly lands to what Schicksal
[fate] neither we nor they know; we return
unto our own homeland, and peace. I am
thankful for what I have.
I recall now how we felt about mid-
night of August 25, just before the war.
Ten minutes late for the last train
north, and under the stimulus of a
score of newly published Flugblaettev
announcing that all railroads forty-
eight hours hence would be put at the
primary disposal of the rapidly mobiliz-
ing army, my companion and I checked
our baggage and sat down on the lee-
ward side of a little wind-shelter out of
Bahnsteig 2 of the main station at
Weimar to try to figure out what to do.
Trains east, trains west, but none north.
Well, that wasn't so difficult: we
simply took a train east, to Halle, where
we walked about the streets until 8:30
a.m., bought us a camera, and caught a
main-liner out for Hanover and the Hol-
land border. That camera was a good
idea, we thought; we could take it with
us, but couldn't have taken the money
which we paid for it. Later on we
wished we had the cash.
I recall, too, how the early morning
market-goers that day congested the
sidewalks about the print shops of
Halle. "Drang nach Osten! . . . Auch
Dirchau befteit!" Eastward the armies
were racing, pushing, blasting their way
to "free" the "oppressed" Germans in
the Corridor. "Der Hitler, der kann
Alles!" — he can do any and everything,
some of the market-goers were mutter-
ing. Others didn't say much; didn't even
shake their heads. Maybe they recalled
the other war; we had been well ac-
quainted with quite a number of folk
who did, vividly, and not pleasantly,
and who said wishfully if not confident-
ly, "Der Fuehrer will keinen Krieg!" —
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
NCIDENT
^v storu from the missionary euacuation
in (L-urope in 1939 when war stood on
the threshold
he knew what war was; he would bring
them into no war! Thinking of them,
we saw but pathos in the tranquil coun-
try scenes we traversed, in the mother
and her babe scratching about the cab-
bages near their frugal little Garten-
haus, waving to us. We felt it pathetic
that she and her babe should seem sym-
bolic to us of the coming loneliness many
were probably to suffer. Another young
mother in our compartment in the train
was taking her babe to grandma's. Yes,
he had left last night, she answered the
woman next to her; and they said little
more — just looked out the window, but
none of the swift-rotating landscape
caught their attention. We supposed
they were just looking because they
were expected to impress us, whoever
we might be, that they were proud their
men had gone.
From Hanover, where we first were
able to find seats, or even to crowd into
a compartment out of the hallway of the
car, we listened to young men talk.
But they didn't say much either; they
didn't even ask us where we were go-
ing, or where we had come from. Every-
one usually did that, at least, over there.
TI7e rolled on toward Holland, hardly
* * feeling we were leaving it all. We
ate a luxurious omelet in the diner; a
mark and thirty-five pfennige wasn't
many cents at our exchange. There
weren't many omelets being served.
At Bentheim, all went well. It was our
last stop in Germany, and we now had
gathered some other missionaries as
companions.1 We checked over our sur-
plus cash ( everything above ten marks ) ;
sent it back to someone to hold it for us
for a time; perhaps we'd be back to use
it later. Some of the brethren sent all
they had, thinking it would be useless in
Holland anyway.
We looked for the border as we
passed, but saw little to mark it. There
was a visible line of barbed-wire barri-
cade with little concrete obstructions
meant to stop tanks — such as I had
seen earlier on the former boundary
between Austria and Sudetenland of
Czechoslovakia.
Our baggage passed inspection — they
merely asked most of us what was in it
— and was loaded on for Rotterdam.
Then came our first occasion to wonder.
The man that had taken our passports a
mile out from the Dutch station came
with them and told us to follow him.
We followed him through our Schnell-
zugt out the other side, and into a little
motor-train beyond, where he gave us
back our passports and we started east!
Didn't he know who we were? Hadn't
someone told him we would be cared
for by the church if necessary, and that
we didn't intend to stay long in Holland?
We tried to learn the cause of our "de-
portation" back to Germany; best we
could find was that some sort of blanket-
rule prohibited us from coming into
iAmong the group now were Elders Rayo Parker,
William Thayne, Clayton Larsen, W. Haws, Frank
Knutti, and I.
■■'■■".'■ .'.'■.'.'. ■ .■':'■■'■-.■■'■.■"."■.■■"-■. ■-■".■ ■' ' ■ ■ ■■.-■■■■.: ■■ ■'. ■ :■/ '■: ■■-. ■.■ ■'-: ;■■■■ ' ■ ■.■■.■"■. ■."/.■'■ ■ .■ ■ ■
Holland unless we had steamer tickets
to take us on out. Well, we would get
steamer tickets if necessary! No use;
we were no exception.
Back in Bentheim we chose a spokes-
man to call The Hague and ask Presi-
dent Murdock of the Dutch Mission
whether we were the last left in Ger-
many and what we should do. He
wasn't in, but would call when he came.
We waited. Night came on — twenty-
four hours had passed- — and we heard
nothing from anyone. We pooled our
souvenir marks and took rooms in a
hotel for the night, as border police
didn't like us around the station waiting-
room. We left instructions to forward
our awaited telephone call.
XT ext morning we pretended it was
•^ Fast Day to save our waning money
for emergency use. No call. We wan-
dered down to town about noon and
bought a bag of Broetchen [bread rolls]
and a jar of jam. Served up with Hitler-
Jugend knives for cutlery, it filled the
hungry spot for a while. Still no call.
We decided to go down and try the
border again. We didn't know, of
course, that Elder Kest of the Dutch
Mission had been trying all day to do
something for us on the other side, for
the station attendant on our side hadn't
reported that a call had come for us.
We couldn't cross the border; we could-
n't go back; we couldn't call Frank-
furt; we knew of nothing we could
do. But then, there had been other mis-
sionaries in more difficult spots, as we
knew; we thought quite a bit about some
of the brethren who had been called to
foreign lands and of the promises made
to them, according to our Doctrine and
Covenants.
Well, it came. Just as we were about
to leave, in walked Elder Kest. I must
leave you to his story (p. 793) as to
how he crossed the border without a
German visa in his passport, passed in-
spections without surrendering the tick-
ets he was bringing to us, and arrived at
the crucial moment. . . ,
Then I recall studying a Kursbuch of
all the train schedules in Germany in
hopes of finding a train on which we
could proceed inland and toward Den-
mark. Elder Kest merely explained that
few of the brethren were in Holland
and that no more could come in, as no
foreigners were being admitted. We
hoped Denmark wouldn't be that way!
All I got from the Kursbuch and the
information desk was that the last train
through had left for the day. That night,
our forty-eight hours would be up. So
we decided to try a local train to Salz-
bergen, and hope for something there-
after. . . .
The gateman at the tracks asked us
where we were going. "Nach Osna-
btueck," we said. "Not with this ticket!"
Not with that? How then? He looked
the booklet of tickets over, turned the
( Continued on page 793 )
DANISH LANDSCAPE
"War seemed far removed.'
"■Photo C. M. Newman
DECEMBER, 1943
753
Pioneer
jam
■
DIARY
1847-
Part X
-Nearing Fort Laramie
Thursday, August 5. Last night,
Taylor's com. which we pass'd at
noon, crowded onto our herding place
— the herd mixed, 6c. We started this
mor. after them 6 pass'd them 6
sevferal] other com[panie]s — pass'd
a lot of Indian huts — sevferal] Indians
came out to meet us — all quiet — as we
came up in the rear of C, C. Rich's
com. the road on the left in which we
trav. being vacant, Capt. Tfaylor]
trav. in it. Br. Duel from the right
came over 6 crowded in 2 wagons; ex-
cept this, all was harmony. We en-
camp near the fording place. At eve
Capt. Peirce returns to the wigwams
or rather tents — finds French gentle-
men at supper with Indian servants —
the meal consisted of light bread, coffee
6 meat serv'd on the ground with the
tin dishes, 6c. We have a sprinkle of
rain — very dry; Indians visit us. Trav.
\2]/2 ms.
Friday, August 6.1 Cross the river
which here has a stony bottom. We
cross below the old Fort — both are built
of unburnt brick. We go 5 miles be-
yond 6 encamp before 12. Capt. [Jed.
M.] Grant having sent for us to stop
till they arrive. Ch[arles] Dfilworth"
6 Br. Ellsworth go to P[arley P."
P[ratt] for permission for some to
leave the Comfpany] 6 go ahead— he
throws the responsibility upon Capt.
[Jos. B.] N[oble], who will not take it
by giving consent, 6c, 6c, 6c The
feed good on a little island — we have
plenty of wood 6 water 6 before bed-
time we flatter ourselves, (i.e. Sis[ter]
Peirce 6 myself) that the go ahead
feeling will be subdued 6 all stop 6
recruit the teams, repair wagons, 6c.
LThe apostles in the Great Salt Lake Valley re-
newed their covenants by baptism, and the rest of
the company soon after followed their example. In-
cluding the detachment of the Mormon Battalion and
Saints from Mississippi, who had arrived a few days
before, there were about 400 souls in the Valley.—
Journal History
754
FORDING THE PLATTE
"Like meeting an old friend," writes Eliza R.
Snow as the company makes one of several crossinos
of the Platte River, whioh, as a tributary of the
Missouri has flanked the pioneer route all the way
from Winter Quarters, continuing past Ash Hollow,
Chimney Rock, Scott's Bluffs, Fort Laramie, and
Red Butte as the North Platte. From Devil's Gate
the pioneer company will follow an arm of the Platte
known as the Sweetwater River.
—From a painting in the Scott's Bluff Museum.
Photograph by George Strebel in the Brighton
Young University 1936 Art Caravan collection.
Moth [er] Chase 6 I have a treat in the
eve. Jacob Cloward baptiz'd, 6c My
health much better. A Spaniard supp'd
with us, John Taylor enc[amped] on
the other side the Island.
Saturday, August 7. All is well —
may our union increase — but some
things seem calculated to call up the
feelings of the human heart 6 show the
selfishness of man. Some of us at least
feel somewhat indignant in consequence
of a letter from Capt. G[rant] to P[ar-
ley P.] Pfratt] stating things deroga-
tory to the benevolent feelings of the
1 st 50 — whether true or false may here-
after be proven. It is nearly night when
they arrive — Capt. G[rant] sick — I
took dinner with Sis. Holmes 6 supp'd
with Sis. Noble.
Sunday, August 8. A little shower at
noon which is a rare thing in this coun-
try— the sisters of our com. have a
meeting. Sis. Taylor 6 Leonard come.
The Lord pour'd his spirit upon us in a
copious effusion — sis. Riter receiv'd the
gift of tongues. A move made to start
in the eve, but the cattle mix'd with
other herds 6 takes too long to find
them. Sis. P[eirce] blest M[argaret]
at our meet. 6 in the gift of tongues 6
united our hands, 6c
Monday, August 9. Move on — leave
the 2nd 50 doing their blacksmith work
with coal that father Chase burnt for us,
6c. We are now among the much cele-
brated "black hills" — pass Capt. Ed-
ward Hunter 6 find that P[arley P.]
Pfratt] has gone on — we stop by the
river where we find a patch of grass,
currants 6 buffalo berries — the country
here is rugged enough — drivers feed
with scrubby pine, hemlock, cotton-
wood, 6c, very thinly scattered, with
bluffs presenting the appearance of well
fortified castles, the inhabitants of
which exclude themselves from our
view, altho' 2 grizzly bears had been
seen. Last night had a fine shower.
Travfeled] 5^2 m[ile]s.
Tuesday, August 10. We had a fine
show'r in the night — this morfning]
while waiting for Capt. G[rant] to
come up, that he 6 Prest. [John]
Yfoung] — who have trav. with the
other 50, might go with us. M[argaret
Peirce] baked 2 berry pies, the qualities
of which are yet to be tested. We had
a treat of wild goose for breakfast,
which Sis. Wiler's driver kill'd last
night. The road today is very hilly 6
rocky but hard, 6 we are not annoy'd
with dust, stop 6 dine on our pies 6
milk- — no feed for cattle— I rode with
sis. [Jedediah M.] Grant in the after-
noon— she is quite feeble — cross'd some
beautiful little streams towards night —
one warm spring in the morning— was
amus'd to see the high peak which was
said to be 50 ms. this side Laramie, sur-
rounded with a white cloud, at some
distance from the summit. We encamp
30 m[ile]s from the F[or]t.
Wednesday, August 11. We cross
the stream on which we encamp 'd last
night — I am sick all day — the road
rough — considerably between bluffs —
enc[amp] on a stream near "Kimball's
Springs" of good cold water. [Gen.
Chas. G] Rich comes up, trav. 15 ms.
Thursday, August 12. Cross the
stream 6 en [camp] — find more cold
springs 6 plenty of wood — sis. Mary
N [oble] gives birth to a fine girl in her
wagon. I din'd with Sis. Wiler on tea
6 light biscuit. The 2nd 50 come up.
Charcoal was burned for the camp
blacksmiths, and five gallons of tar
made by one of the companies.
Friday, August 13. Spent the day
with Sis. N[oble], Her babe not well.
[John] Taylor and [A. O.] Smoot come
up — Sis. Hunter calls, informs us of the
hail-storm which last eve[ning] threat-
en'd us, but pass'd round — she said the
stones were large as small walnuts 6
whitened the ground.
Saturday, August 14. Sis. [A. O.]
Smoot called on me in the mor[ning].
They had 10 horses 6 2 colts stolen by
the Ind[ians] night before last. I din'd
with Sis. Leonard on pot pie — gave no-
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
OF
C^llza IK. •
now
tice to all the 100 & met in the aft[er-
noon] for worship — had a glorious
time. 3 receiv'd the gift of tongues —
the "spirit of the Holy Ghost" was truly
pour'd out — last eve the young people
met for a dance & br. Baker's boys &
others intruded with much insolence —
they are tried this eve before the bish-
op's court, &c, &c. This 50 burn a coal
pit — the 2d 50 are having their work
done that they may start tomorrow —
we are also manufacturing tar — Capt.
[A. O.] Smoot's Com. made 50 gal-
lons].
Sunday, August 15. The 2d 50 start
— sis. [Loven] Weeks sent for me — I
spent sevferal] hours with her — call'd
on sis. Holmes — din'd with sis. [Amos
H.] Neff— vis[ited] sis. Grant &
N[oble] after walking to the tar pit, &c.
Capt. P [eirce] loses an ox — yester-
day] saw M. Forsgreen & Sister F.
Granger pass sitting in the front of the
wagon— [P. P.] P[ratt] & J[ohn]
Young, start for the Pioneers,* very
blustering in the aft[ernoon] but no rain
of any consequence.
Monday, August 16. A motion was
made to start — when the cattle are
sTo meet President Brigham Young and company
returning from Salt Lake Valley on the way back to
Winter Quarters.
brought up, 16 are not to be found — do
not find them thro' the day. William
[Baldwin] is out on foot & alone for
his ox which is gone with the rest — we
feel very anxious for him on account of
the large wolves & Indians. I go to
Mothfer] Chase's — hear that Pioneers
[Pres. Brigham Young's company]
have arrived at the upper camps — that
the City [Salt Lake City] is laid out 6c.
Sis. H. [ ? ] calls while we are having
a rich treat from on high, call on sis.
Weeks — find her better — sup at home
on a rabbit pot-pie.
Tuesday, August 1 7. The men go in
search of the cattle. The sis[ters] meet
in the grove for prayer — we have a time
not to be forgotten. Bless the Lord, O
my soul, yea, I do praise him for the
gift of his holy spirit — before I got out
of the grove, I heard that the breth-
ren] were on track of the cattle —
went home with sis. Young, read the
letter from the Pioneers by Porter of
the Pioneers & Bro. Binley of the sol-
diers— the letter brought the most
cheering int [erest] , dated Aug. 2d, stat-
ing that they were in the beautiful val-
ley of the Great Salt Lake, that they had
that morning commen c'd surveying the
City — that it is "a goodly land' & their
souls are satisfied. The soldiers from
Pueblo & the breth [ren] from Miss [is-
sippi] have arriv'd & they number in all
450 souls & know not one dissatisfied —
I din'd with br. [John] Y[oung] &
lady & L. Robinson from Rich's Camp.
Sis. P[eirce] sick in consequence of
poison which is effecting her hands &
face, the sis. remember 'd her in their
meeting— she heard from her son —
that he was well — had not been home-
sick— that Prest. Y[oung] was going to
keep him on his side, &c, which com-
forted her. We have a smart sprinkle
of rain near night— Prest. [John]
Young, Capt. [Jedediah] Grant & Capt.
Noble rig themselves for herding — they
go out and bring in the herd which Cap-
tain P [eirce] recommended but was
oppos'd in. My heart was made to re-
joice at seeing our 3 head officers united
in one thing — it surely is in accordance
with the prayers of the sis. This morn-
THE PIONEER JOURNEY
Dates on the map are those on which the advance
company under Brigham Young arrived at these
points, but the route is the same described in the
diary.
DECEMBER, 1943
ROBERT PE1RCE
Often mentioned in the diary, he was captain of
the ten and head of the family1 with which Eliza
traveled. From an old tintype.
ing Sis. Gfrant] is better — thinks the
pickled pork I obtain'd of I. Ashby did
her good.
Wednesday, August 18.* Capt.
G[rant] started early to meet the men
who are in pursuit of the cattle — com-
menc'd raining about noon — Sis.
P[eirce] is better — the men do not re-
turn.
Thursday, August 19. Last night
rained in the forepart — between 1 and
2 our cattle brake [break] from the
yard — the men go in pursuit & return
with them in the mor[ning]. One of
Capt. Pfeirce's] not to be found —
after consulting, it is thought best to
move forward with what strength we
have. Capt. P [eirce] goes in search of
his ox & we are waiting after the other
Tens leave. Sis. Wiler brings me a
bowl of tea while waiting in the horse-
less buggy. The Lord bless her for all
her kindness to me. My pray'r for the
Camp is that God will pour out his
Spirit upon us — we seem to have the
most difficulty when the most officers
are with us. O Lord! fill them with thy
Spirit — unite their hearts — incline them
to seek unto thee for thy blessings to
rest upon this people — may we uphold
them by the pray'r of faith. Capt.
P [eirce] finds the ox that stray'd last
night & we go on — ascend a hill where
every team has to double. Capt.
P [eirce] 's horses gone after the cattle —
he fastens the carriage to a wagon —
the women walk. I ride with br. Hend-
ricks. Sis. Love is run over with a
heavy loaded wagon.4 We encamp be-
fore night on a small creek — I bake the
pancakes for supper — rains quite a
show'r before we get supper. M[ar-
(Continued on page 783)
sNearly half of the 143 original Pioneers left Great
Salt Lake Valley with ox teams, on their return to
Winter Quarters for their families, with Brigham
Young in charge of the company. August 26 the second
company of returning Pioneers left for Winter Quar-
ters, where they arrived October 31. — Journal History
4 A Sister Love was run over by a wagon loaded with
sixteen hundred pounds. One wheel ran over her
breast. She was administered to and was around
again in a day or two. — From Kirtland to Salt Lake
City, p. HO
755
CHRIST, CHRISTMAS,
By T. EDGAR LYON
Associate Director, Salt Lake L.D.S.
Institute of Religion, University
of Utah
No custom is more universally cele-
brated by Christians than that of
Christmas — a festive occasion in
commemoration of the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth. Strange as it may appear,
however, Christians in various parts of
the world are not agreed concerning the
date of the Savior's nativity. The mem-
bers of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints participate in the
Christmas celebrations traditional in
those lands in which they live. They do
not, however, accept such occasions as
the actual date of the birth of Christ.
From modern revelation they know that
April 6 is his natal day.1 In various
early periods of the Christian era it has
been observed in January, March, April,
and May.2 Even in this country the ma-
jor divisions of Christianity are not
agreed concerning this day, some cele-
brating it in December, others in Janu-
ary. The uncertainty of this date is
attested by the prefatory note to the
Roman Catholic Christmas masses:
The exact day of our Lord's birth on
earth has never been revealed to us; but the
Roman Church has, from early ages, set
apart for its solemn celebration the twenty-
fifth day of December.8
In early days of the Roman Church,
December 25 was observed as the day
of St. Anastasia, a Christian martyr. It
was not until late in the fourth century
(apparently 353 or 354 A.D.) that the
Roman Church first designated Decem-
ber 25 as the day to commemorate the
birth of the Messiah.
Why was this done? Apparently the
explanation is to be found in the fact
that in nearly every western land of
the northern hemisphere the closing
days of December had, from time im-
memorial, been the days for the year's
greatest festivities. In some northern
lands it was the celebration of the
winter solstice, when the sun, as it were,
was born again. In others, it was the
feast of Yule (Jule, Iol, or Iul) in honor
of the pagan god, Thor. Romanized
lands celebrated with much merriment
the Feast of the Saturnalia after De-
cember 7. Jews celebrated the "Feast of
Lights" ( Feast of Dedication ) from De-
cember 17 to December 25. Mithraism,
one of the most widespread of the an-
cient mystery religions and one of the
most serious competitors of Christianity
in the early centuries, celebrated the
birthday of its god, Mithras, on Decem-
ber 25.
doctrine and Covenants 20:1
2Mathews and Smith, A Dictionary o[ Religion and
Ethics, p. 96
8F. X. Lasance, The New Missal for Every D*g.
p. 169
756
and S^avita L^ic
In view of these already widespread
customs of feasting and celebrating at
this season of the year, and the firmness
with which these customs were rooted
in the lives of the people, it is no wonder
that the Christians superimposed the
celebration of Christ's birthday upon
this season. By so doing, they accom-
plished three things. First, they capital-
ized on the traditional period for festal
experiences and made it a season of
Christ-centered rejoicing. Second, they
weakened the influence that surviving
paganism might have on new converts
to the Christian church by offering a
substitute for their customary pagan
celebrations. Third, they retained, but
re-interpreted, gift-giving, prayers, sac-
rifices, use of lights, colors or other
symbolism wherever they had been part
of the pagan ceremonies, giving them a
significance referring to Jesus.
An acquaintance with the customs
connected with the celebration of
Christmas in European lands in this
century indicates, however, that while
the observance of the Savior's birthday
has been adopted as December 25, the
old pagan forms were never entirely
overcome. For instance, the use of
straw goats during the Christmas sea-
son in Sweden is evidently a survival of
an ancient pagan fertility cult; the Yule
Log is another un-Christian symbol; the
fruit or Christmas cakes of most lands,
and the use of mistletoe and holly are
au5
yet other festival symbols which sur-
vived into Christianity for no good
reason, except that they were deeply
rooted in the social customs of the peo-
ple.
With the passing of the years, under
the teachings of the church leaders,
people gradually forgot the ancient
pagan celebrations. They entered into
the colorful ceremonies of the Christ-
mas season and, after a generation or
two, December 25 was accepted in the
public mind as the real birthday of the
Savior. The newer generations soon
forgot the pagan significance of many
of the customs they observed in con-
nection with the activities of the holiday
season. In each land distinctive tradi-
tions were perpetuated and new ones
developed, until in modern times Christ-
mas customs in the different Christian
lands are more varied than the lan-
guages of those nations. The date of
Christmas was about the only thing
that all of the lands had in common.
Tn America we are guilty of having
* made an addition of doubtful value
to the Christmas celebration, namely
that of Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus.
How did this intruder become identified
with the Christmas celebration to such
an extent that he has almost crowded
Jesus out of the Christmas season? St.
Nicholas, according to tradition, was
Bishop of Myra, Lycia ( Asia Minor ) , in
the early fourth century. He was a man
of wealth who used his money to do
good deeds, but swore those whom he
aided to secrecy. He especially pro-
tected and befriended students, and pro-
vided the dowries for daughters of im-
poverished parents, that they might mar-
ry to their best advantage.
Following his death, many tales were
told by his benefactors concerning his
magnanimous deeds, and numerous
traditions grew up concerning him. He
became a saint through popular acclaim
and was adopted throughout Europe as
the patron saint of boys, girls, students,
young ladies seeking suitable marriages,
bankers, pawnbrokers, and sailors. So
great was his popularity that at one
time he was probably revered more than
any other saint, with the exceptions of
Peter and Mary.
He became the patron saint of Russia
and of many of the Italian and Spanish
seaports; numerous church edifices in
France, Belgium, Germany, and the
Scandinavian countries were dedicated
to him; in England alone more than four
hundred churches were named in his
honor.4 His day, in accordance with the
Calendar of Saints commemorated by
masses in the Roman Catholic Church,
is celebrated December 6.
(Continued on page 791 )
Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 16, p. 416
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BAPTISTE <? IJ2.JUJ
oman
ANN WOODBURY HAFEN
Cynopsis of Part I: The youth, Baptiste,
^ son of the Frenchman Charbonneau and
the Shoshone maid Sacajawea, who won
fame as the guide of the Lewis and Clark
expedition into the great northwest, has come
to St. Louis to seek permission from General
Clark, now in charge of the Indian affairs
of the west and self-appointed guardian of
Baptiste, to go to Europe with Prince Paul,
German explorer who has taken a keen per-
sonal interest in him. General Clark sees an
overseas stay as the means of giving Bap-
tiste skill in many languages, an understand-
ing of many peoples; he visions him becom-
ing the West's foremost guide and inter-
preter, promoter of good will between red
man and white. The general gives his assent,
while his thoughts go back in swift review
of that marvelous expedition on which
Baptiste, as papoose, had accompanied the
explorers to the Every-where-salt-water —
the upstream haul in the pirogues, the narrow
escape from cloudburst in a ravine, the
friendly meeting with Sacajawea' s own peo-
ple in the Stony Mountains, and the final
wondrous descent of the Columbia. There
on an inlet near the mouth of the river,
the explorers had camped for the winter. . . .
Part II (Conclusion)
Through the long months Baptiste
learned to toddle about on sturdy
legs and even to dance at the
sound of the fiddle. He helped his father
cook elk steaks before the fire. He
tugged at the new buckskin shirts and
elkskin moccasins which his mother
seemed forever to be sewing. He rolled
his black eyes when the young men
jollied him. And he clapped his hands
whenever Clark paused in his endless
writing to take the little fellow on his
knee or to toss him in the air.
Once Baptiste went by boat down to
the big ocean where a whale had been
washed ashore. Already the Indians had
stripped its bones. When Baptiste and
his mother saw Captain Clark stand up-
right in its open mouth, they were
frightened at the hugeness of the bony
cave. Some ecolay, fat of the whale,
the travelers carried back to the fort to
vary the flavor of lean elk meat on
which they were subsisting.
Since food was none too plentiful in
the explorers' camp, with early spring
the party started homeward toward St.
Louis, over two thousand travel miles
away. The bearded long-haired men
now wore new buckskin clothes made
Indian style — long hunting shirts, leg-
gings, and moccasins.
When they reached the Stony Moun-
tain country it was root-digging time.
Consequently, they could not find Saca-
jawea's people, who had journeyed to
the root grounds.
DECEMBER, 1943
— Illustrated by John Henry Evans, Jr.
ONCE, FOR ELEVEN DAYS, HE WANDERED
ALONE, LOST IN THE WILDS, DRINKING WATER
FROM A BEAVER SKIN HE HAD FILLED.
Through the dangerous Blackfeet
country the explorers made their way
on horses until they reached the Mis-
souri waters. Then in boats which they
had cached on the outward journey,
they floated down the river. Swarms of
huge mosquitoes hovered over the
water. Sacajawea brushed continually
to keep her baby from their hungry
bites. When endless lines of buffalo
swimming the river held up the boat's
passage, the buzzing insects were almost
unbearable.
At last the expedition was safely back
at the Mandan Indian villages on the
Missouri River, where the Charbon-
neaus first had joined the explorers. Be-
fore departing for St. Louis, Captain
Clark perched young Baptiste upon his
shoulders, and as he capered with the
laughing boy he asked:
"Charbonneau, why don't you let me
have this little fellow? I would rear him
as my own son, educate him. I'd make
of him the best interpreter of the West.
I'd—"
But at the look of fear that came into
the young mother's eyes he stopped.
"Perhaps when he is a little older you
might let me have him then. Of course,
he is too young to leave his mother
now."
Scarcely had Captain Clark gone his
way, when he dispatched a letter urging
Charbonneau to bring his family down
to St. Louis to live, where Clark might
oversee the boy's education.
Coon, Baptiste with his father and
*^ mother were floating down the great
river to the strange city of the white
men. For the next few years, while his
father went off on trading expeditions,
Baptiste and Sacajawea remained under
the care of the kind redhead captain.
Sometimes the boy's tutor was a Cath-
olic priest or a nun. Sometimes it was
a Baptist minister. But the young half-
breed went on learning as the white
boys did. With quill, ink, and paper he
practiced to become the skilful penman.
His lessons were taught to him in
French, the language of his father. He
came to wear the hat and shoes of the
white boy, to share the games of his
white playmates. Clark, who had loved
the dancing boy, Baptiste, of the over-
land journey, grew to love the bright-
eyed lad of promise.
Thus, with occasional visits to the
wilds, went the life of Baptiste. All
agreed that he must learn the ways of
the hunter and trapper if he were to be-
(Continued on page 784)
757
By RICHARD L. EVANS
[PQtaD
TJeard from the "Crossroads of the West" with the Salt Lake Taber-
nacle Choir and Organ over a nationwide radio network through
KSL and the Columbia Broadcasting System every Sunday at 12:00 noon
Eastern War Time, 11:00 a.m. Central War Time, 10:00 a.m. Mountain
War Time, and 9:00 a.m. Pacific War Time.
IA/ku If lot Uru Kepentcmce !
irpHE characteristic technique of the sleight-of-hand per-
former is to divert attention from what he doesn't
want us to see and focus attention on what he does want
us to see. He may employ a casual and disarming line of
talk or a few false motions, or both — but all to one purpose:
to take our minds off reality and to make unreality seem
real. In some respects the illustration would seem to have
pertinence to the pattern of our current living — a pattern
so complicated, so crowded with immediate problems, so
dominated by startling news, that we sometimes stand in
danger of thinking too much about what is happening and
not enough about why — too much about effects and not
enough about causes — too much about symptoms and not
enough about the disease. The doctor who goes about
prescribing for symptoms only, may relieve the patient,
but the chances for permanent cure are not so good unless
he looks beyond symptoms to discover causes. This figure
also seems to have pertinence to the pattern of current living,
because social and economic upheavals are sypmtoms of
something deeper; and war is a symptom also — a symptom
of some underlying cause in the lives of men— and, while
we devoutly work and pray for an end to war, and while,
as a nation, our immediate problem is unreservedly the
winning of the war, if the coming of peace should find the
basic cause untouched, a reasonable expectancy would be
for the malady to recur. The winning of a war does not,
for example, assure personal or national righteousness. It
doesn't outlaw greed or hate, or unchastity or incontinence,
or deception or inordinate ambition. And yet such things,
with their innumerable kindred brood, are the festering
causes of war, because they drive peace from the hearts
of men. Isaiah spoke the formula these many centuries
since: ". . . the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it
cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is
no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isaiah 57:20, 21.)
And if there is no peace for the wicked, there can be no
peace for anyone until the wicked have repented or been
confined to their proper sphere. But repentance must go
beyond those who are known as "the wicked." It must be
a general repentance — repentance from unreality, from false
thinking, from treating symptoms while ignoring causes. We
must look beyond what is happening and give more atten-
tion to why. If we' don't, and if history may be trusted to
repeat itself, peace will continue to be merely a breathing
spell between periods of conflict. This will not be a popular
conclusion. Such messages never have been popular. But
the record will show that nearly everything else has been
tried without permanent success. Now why not try re-
pentance! — October 3, 1943.
^>ome L^urrant rfote6
on
arturdt
o/n
\l 7e have read somewhere currently a brief statement of a
" challenging idea: "The greater the truth, the greater
the danger." Certainly the record will show that those who
have advocated great truths, before the world generally
has accepted them, have often stood in great danger. The
history of martyrdom in all fields of thought and learning
will bear this out. Prophets who have forecast coming
events have often died for their testimony, but the genera-
tions have lived to see, often to their sorrow, the fulfilment
of prophetic word. Those who in the field of science have
wrested from the unknown an understanding of things here-
tofore untaught and unbelieved, have often been the objects
of scorn, ridicule, and persecution. Some of them have
lived to see their own vindication, and some of them have
not, but the long list of martyrs to truth is a frightening
monument to human stupidity, ignorance, and intolerance.
As one poet-philosopher expressed it: "Against stupidity
the very Gods themselves contend in vain." (Schiller.) But
martyrs are not all confined to the past, and they aren't
all confined to the fields of science and religion. Those who,
for example, undertake to crusade against current evils are
very often martyrs, with cynicism and scorn and ridicule
heaped upon them. Sometimes every act of their lives, in-
cluding intimate and sacred and personal things, is paraded
for public view by those whose business and profession it
is to twist words and smear reputations. No matter how
irreproachable a man's life may be, if he undertakes to
oppose a popular or profitable evil, he may expect to be
represented as a public enemy, an obstructionist, a prophet
of doom, and a good many other things less printable, by
those who have the facilities and motives for doing such
things and who haven't the conscience or the scruples not to
do them. He who opposes popular but fallacious practices,
he who sees and contends against dangerous trends and
schemes, is inviting martyrdom in a sense — at least the
martyrdom of his reputation — and perhaps social and politi-
cal martyrdom. But if a man sees a quickening departure
from hard-won ideals and fundamentals, and if he sees the
gaining momentum of tendencies which are moving his
generation or his people toward a precipice at the bottom
of which lies certain wreckage, he has an obligation to speak
his mind no matter what the currently popular philosophy is.
And if he does speak his mind and becomes added to the
list of those who have been persecuted for doing so, it is
one more evidence of the high cost of presenting a new
truth or defending an old one. True, the greater the truth,
the greater is the danger, sometimes, to the individual who
advocates it, A contemporary generation is slow to forgive
those who think and see ahead of them or who invite atten-
758
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
tion to their follies. But the greater the truth, the greater
the safety ultimately for all— and martyrs for truth somehow
have a way of living forever, with much greater peace and
satisfaction in life than those who have opposed them.
—October 10, 1943.
Lyedterda
t
tomorrow
p\NE of the distinguishing attributes of intelligence in men
^ is the faculty of thinking and planning for the future.
It is this that causes us to plant so that we may harvest. It
is this that gives us the wisdom to save a part of our harvest
so that we may plant and harvest again. It is the assurance
of a future that induces us to work beyond the point of
satisfying our immediate needs. It is in anticipation of a
future that we save. It is the promise of future reward that
causes us to invest what we save — and we wouldn't do it
except for this assurance. It is in anticipation of future
happiness that we counsel youth to forego indulgences and
dissipations that may tempt them in the present. Indeed,
we have learned to deal in futures in all phases of living,
and a life that does not look toward an endless future is a
frustrated and meaningless and empty life, and leaves too
much to be explained. But the glorious certainty that there
will always be a future is an assurance that is often abused
— an assurance that sometimes causes people to rely too
much on the future to the shameful neglect of the present.
There are, for example, parents who are always going to
get better acquainted with their children — at some time in
the future when the pressure is less great. They had better
do it while they can. There are those who are going to
reform themselves — who are going to give up some of their
objectionable habits — sometime when it is more convenient.
They had better do it while they can. There are those who
are going to start saving, start being neighborly, start watch-
ing their health, start living with more discrimination and
wisdom — sometime when they get around to it. They had
better do it while they can. There are those, old and young,
who are going to improve their minds, or train their hands —
who are going to prepare themselves for opportunities ahead
— sometime. They had better do it while they can. In an
eternal journey there is no part of life that is more important
than any other. Today is the future for which we were
waiting ten years ago. And some of the things we postponed
then, we're still postponing for some other future. The
promise of things to come is glorious and beautiful and real
— "a new heaven and a new earth," in the language of
scripture. And predicated upon obedience to certain
God-given fundamentals, there are everlasting com-
pensations to be realized — but not by those who
don't do anything about it. This is life— this
is yesterday's tomorrow — and if we have-
n't learned to live now, we'll have to
sometime. Yes, fortunately and glo-
riously, there will always be a
future — but don't let it make
us forget the obligations of
the present.
—October 17, 1943.
DECEMBER, 1943
2Jke L^onient of tke Ljovemed
TJJiluam. Penn is accredited with the statement — "If men
* " be good, government cannot be bad." On first hearing,
one may be inclined to challenge the idea, but a more studied
consideration of it will reveal its fundamental truth. It is
true that there may be exceptions; it is true that history
records innumerable incidents of conquest, forced slavery,
and subjugation of unwilling peoples, by tyrants and
usurpers. But these apparent exceptions do not invalidate
the rule. In the first place, no tyrant stands alone. He must
have a large following to support him in his infamies. And
the fact that he can secure a following large enough to
accomplish his purposes, and that there is no effective resist-
ance against such an element, is prima facie evidence of
internal weakness. The very existence of tyranny is, in itself,
an indication that somewhere along the line a sufficient num-
ber of people have relaxed their standards and their vigilance.
Tyrants don't come into being if the personal lives of the
people are strong, and sound, and self-reliant. It is true that
in a weakened society there may be many strong people,
and William Penn's words emphatically do not mean that
all people under a bad government are bad. Indeed, the
contrary has always proved to be true, and often the
leaven of a straight-thinking minority has affected the whole
lump and ultimately brought about a correction of evils.
But even so, William Penn's statement is a disturbing
thought — because it places the responsibility right back
where it belongs, and takes some zest from the prevalent
and time-honored pastime of criticizing government while
sitting back and doing nothing about it. The founding
fathers of our own nation gave us the key when they said:
"Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed." We cannot
avoid the responsibility. Governments, in the long run, are
largely a reflection of the people who live under them. And
if there are evils in government, those who live thereunder
had better begin an honest scrutiny of themselves. Generally
speaking, and in the long view of things, "If men be good,
government cannot be bad." This, from William Penn, is a
personal challenge to each of us. — October 24, 1943.
Copyright. 1943
.. V""-.
759
VL RELIGIOUS GAP
What happens to a college stu-
dent's religion depends more on
what he is when he enters college
than upon his experiences after he en-
rolls. What his home has done, what
his school has done, what his church
has done for him during his pre-college
years will very largely determine what
college will do for him after he gets
there. While the atmosphere of col-
leges may differ, and while the teach-
ing of one college may differ from an-
other, there is no greater variation be-
tween the denominational college and
the non-denominational than there is
among the denominational colleges
themselves. Again what he is in his
home-town environment will mean
more than the kind of college he at-
tends.
I make those assertions on the
strength of years of observation and
investigation. I make them because in
some communities are those who say
that colleges are ruining our young peo-
ple's religion.
Often parents forget the natural
changes which will inevitably come to
the adolescent during the years subse-
quent to his high school graduation.
Change will take place in the boys and
girls even though they remain in the
community where they were born.
The breaking away from childhood
associates and habits is inevitable when
a boy or girl leaves the community to
attend college elsewhere. It is like-
wise inevitable that such a transition
will affect the thoughts, habits, and be-
liefs of youth. Personality both in-
fluences and is influenced by environ-
ment. When, in 1939, Lincoln B. Hale
and his associates published their find-
ings in From School to College, they
knew a change would come about.
These investigators speak of the " 'gap'
in religious life, which so often seems
to appear during the transition to the
college environment. . . ," Discovering
the many problems involved in such a
transitional hiatus in religion, these men
try to find out what determined the
various reactions shown by the stu-
dents, and what influenced their adjust-
ments.
Granted not all colleges are doing
as much as they should to take care of
the transitional period; granted, further,
that all instructors do not exercise care
enough in their presentation or in their
living of Christian ideals, we cannot
attribute all the problems of youth's
"gap" in religious life either to the col-
leges or to the professors. The response
and the adaptation which a given
student makes to his new environment
are predetermined by his home and
church training before he arrives on
the campus. Religion, we must remem-
ber, is only one of the many factors at
760
By CALVIN T. RYAN, ED.M.
State Teachers College, Kearney,
Nebraska
work during this transition period.
Since it is only one of many, we do not
always find it easy to segregate the re-
ligious from the other factors of ad-
justment or maladjustment. College
life, whenever it is normal, provides
a total situation. Its main business,
ostensibly at least, is to afford the stu-
dents a chance to get an education.
This process is no longer confined to
textbooks, lectures, and laboratories.
The total situation in which the stu-
dent finds himself becomes a part of his
curriculum. This larger curriculum in-
cludes religious development, health
and recreation, social development,
personality growth — in all that the
word has come to mean. In many col-
leges, a large number of the students
work for their existence. They wait
tables, sweep halls, clerk, mow lawns,
and shovel snow. So the normal college
student is very busy — or thinks he is.
He may not always spend his time wise-
ly, according to adult standards. But
on the other hand, the coonskin-coated
collegiate of yesterday is not so much in
the news as he once was.
^Tow in all this milieu, the student's
*■ ^ outward show of religious behavior
doesn't attract the attention it probably
did back in the home town.
Then there are the "bull sessions" in
which the boys (why not include the
girls?) do not allow their ignorance of
the subject to interfere with their dis-
cussing it. The subject may be re-
ligion, church-going, or simply the
church. The unsophisticated youth
hears things he never dreamed of hear-
ing. Mary, the church's idol back
home, is participating (by her presence
at least) in a discussion of atheism,
agnosticism, and dozens of other "isms"
not preached about in the home town
pulpits. Mary is in college now.
Here is a student who came to col-
lege fearful of all courses in science.
But necessity drove the girl into a
required course in science! Providence
was with the girl, for her teacher was a
woman of complete adolescent under-
standing, thoroughly Christian. The
girl's fear turned to faith. Science helped
her understand nature and God. The
course solved, or dissolved, the girl's
fear.
On the other hand, it seems true that
college experience does not make stu-
dents who were indifferent to church
and religion before they came to the
campus any more religious. Hale and
his associates found that some few stu-
ivi y^oueae
dents admitted their attitudes toward
religion had been changed during their
college life. But the changes were in
both directions: some who came luke-
warm or indifferent became interested;
while others grew more indifferent.
However, they found the changes in-
variably among those who entered only
mildly interested in religion. The deep-
ly-interested entrants remained inter-
ested. Reads the report:
Taking all the facts . . . into considera-
tion, of all the tilings that happen to stu-
dents in college, religious thought seems to
be least subject to change, at least during
freshman year, although shifts are occur-
ring in valuations which an observer would
probably regard as religious.
"Deliefs play a tremendous part in the
*T young person's life. They are im-
portant in his personality growth and
integration. Whenever a group of be-
liefs are held by a community, they be-
come an important integrating force in
that community. Obviously they in-
fluence all who live there — young and
old. Likewise, the youth who leaves
that community is bound to take with
him the result of what the environment
has done to him and for him. What he
will do when he transfers to another
community will depend upon what he is,
how strongly entrenched are his be-
liefs, his willingness to change, and his
ability to adapt himself to his new sur-
roundings, and community of beliefs.
Naturally, in the large enrollments in
our colleges and universities, we should
expect to find those who are on the
outer fringe of social living. Religious
living would not appeal to them no mat-
ter where they chose to live. Just as
naturally we should expect that outer
fringe to exert an influence on the more
susceptible members of the entering
classes. In fact, they even become the
heroes of the inexperienced. But again
that is just as true in any community be-
yond the college yard as within the
gates.
JDarents who hold college life reli-
A giously suspect can do more to pro-
tect their offspring from the "evil" they
fear before they enter that broad road
of destruction than they can after they
enter. Such preparation will include
religious development beyond a mere list
of Don'ts. Such development will even
include what the child studies in high
school; certainly it will enlist the public
school in developing within the child a
rather wide knowledge of the universe,
and the biological sciences. Quoting the
conclusions of Hart again:
( Continued on page 783 )
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
GLORY IS OF THE SPIRIT
£
■ lear and cold — perfect
weather for Christmas Eve! The storm
hadn't lasted long. As Fran stepped off
the porch, the air stung her nostrils like
fire. She must make sure everything
was secure against the night. A stab of
nostalgia that was sharper than the
"You know how / feel? That's a
laugh."
"Clay was
minded her.
"Oh, what's
her hands in a
my brother," Ben re-
the use," she had flung
gesture of helplessness.
cold brought a sudden weakness to her I am selling."
knees. Silly little chore, making the
rounds each night. Yet she and Clay-
ton had made a ritual of it. They had
loved doing it because the stock, this
place had been theirs. Now they were
hers alone. After tomorrow they would
not belong to her. She was selling this
place, the stock and the machinery. She
was going so far away she would never
see Clayton's family again, nor know if
they had their Christmas morning party.
Party. How could they want it, and the
news just received?
"I know how you feel," her sister-in-
law had said earlier in the evening; "but
can't give way to grief
Besides, this is my last Christmas here.
we can t give way to grief and self
pity." She and Ben had brought pres- try to stay with this place
ents for the twins' stockings. Fran had
forgotten.
'You're what?"
"I am selling this place. Clayton left
it in my name. '
"You must be out of your mind,"
Ben cried. "Suppose he did put it in
your name. That was because he
trusted you. This land has been in the
Downing family since sagebrush days.
It's your children's birthright. Aren't
you getting your values crossed?"
"I think not. Running a farm is a
man's work."
"It is everybody's work these days.
You know how to farm. You owe it to
Clayton, to the twins, and to your coun-
I will help
you."
"I have paid my debt to my country.
—Illustrated by
John Henry Evans,
By
DOROTHY CLAPP
ROBINSON
more
work
now
than
you
You have
can do."
"I can always do a little more."
In the barn, Toby, the dog, left his
warm bed by the cows and whined a
puzzled welcome. Everything was in
order. The door of the root cellar was
well-covered. She turned off the lights
in the henhouse and started back. Mak-
ing the rounds alone. That was all life
offered now.
JDy the back steps of the
house she stopped to look at the stars.
She would miss nights like this when
she was in town. She could not re-
member when the stars were so many
or so bright. One was low, even below
the line of hills.
Startled, she realized it was not a
star but a light. Old Nels was still up.
That light was for her. Well — he would
need a lot of kerosene for his lamp if
he waited for her. She wasn't going
there tonight, nor any night. Not ever
again.
Billy was lying on the floor before the
fireplace looking at a book he had re-
ceived that afternoon
history stories, with
It was a book of
colored illustra-
tions.
"Let
again "
me see. Let me see this one
Betty, his twin, snatched at a
leaf to keep him from turning it.
"You'll tear it. Darn you." Billy's
quick temper flared.
"I'll be careful. Please."
Immediately contrite Billy removed
the hand he had slapped over the page.
The picture was "Washington Cross-
ing the Delaware."
"Who is this?" Betty pointed to the
figure of Washington.
Fran glanced at it. "That is General
Washington."
"What for is he standing up?"
"He is the general," Billy explained,
out of his deep knowledge. "Like Tom-
my Turner at school. He gives orders."
Betty ignored his disdain at her ignor-
ance. She pointed to the men rowing
the boat.
"Why for don't they stand up?"
"They must row the boat."
"What does it mean, row the boat?"
"The men who are sitting push the
boat across the river with their oars."
Realizing they knew nothing at all about
boats Fran explained in detail. She told
(Continued on page 786)
WHITE SILENT NIGHT GAVE
SHE WAITED, EX-
BACK NO ANSWER
PECTANT.
DECEMBER, 1943
761
CARD CLUB «■ SPINGRO
Dinner was over and the children
were at their studies or in bed
when Charles came home late
from the office. Mary sat with him as
he ate alone. Charles was working as
legal adviser in one of the new govern-
ment offices. Before Mary put on the
dessert, she remarked, "We have been
invited to join a card club, Charles.
There's a nice crowd meets once a
week, and they would like us to be
members."
Charles laughed. "Members of a
card club! Why I don't even know how
to play."
"You'd learn in no time. And you'd
make a good player, too. I'm rusty, but
it doesn't take long to pick it up."
"Who are they, members of the
church?"
"Yes, mainly."
"Cards seem like a waste of time to
me.
"But it's the people you are with,
and the enjoyable evenings you can
have together."
"Sooner or later some one wants to
put up stakes to make it more excit-
ing;"
"But it doesn't amount to anything,
even if you lose — no more than going to
a movie."
"It's the principle of the thing. It's
gambling, isn't it?"
Mary laughed. "Well, just figure that
you might have invited someone else to
the show with us then. You're out that
much, but you've spent a pleasant time
and paid for it. You see, the thing is,
cards give a nice evening without any
trouble getting up a program. Every-
body enjoys himself, you have refresh-
ments, meet the friends you like to be
with, test your wits and relax. It may
help you in business, Charles."
"But it's the gambling idea that I
don't like."
"Oh, don't be so particular. You lose
a little one night and make a little an-
other. After all it is just paying some-
thing for entertainment if you don't win.
Nobody misses it."
"Mary, I'm not thinking of the money.
But I've never liked cards. The church
has always been against them. They're
universally used for gambling. I don't
think you or I would ever become a
gambler, but one of our kiddies might
easily have a weakness that way. It
wouldn't be comfortable for us to re-
member that something we had done
might have been his justification for
starting."
Mary looked sober. "I had never
thought of the children. It seems so in-
nocent to me. All the others have chil-
dren."
"They might never be affected by our
playing, but you certainly increase the
risk. However, there is something else
that has kept me away from cards."
"What is that?"
762
"They take the place of more worth-
while things."
"Oh, but you've got to have a little
recreation sometime."
/^harles looked reminiscent for a
V* moment. "Once on the Magdalena
in Colombia, I had some friends who
spent the six days of the trip up-river
playing poker. Some days hundreds of
dollars would change hands. They were
playing for real stakes, and I noticed
that one of them was a consistent win-
ner. One day while we were on deck
watching the sluggish water go by and
the tropical landscape on the banks, I
told him that I had never learned to play
and wondered whether I had been fool-
ish. He replied that he wished he had
never started. He had won thousands
of dollars, because he studied the men
he played with. Once a banker of
Pittsburgh, where he lived, said to him,
'Griff, I go away from here and gener-
ally win, but I always lose to you. How
come?' Mr. Griffith laughed and re-
plied, 'You raise your shoulders when
you have a good hand.' But, he went on
to me, that he regretted ever having
started to play, because it had taken
so much time from his family and from
books. The money he had won could
never compensate for that."
Mary remarked quietly, "Apparently
you don't want us to join this card club
and associate with these nice people."
Charles was silent for a moment. "I
would like to have the folks in this
neighborhood as friends. We are here
as strangers in a way, and we want our
children and theirs to know one another
better because their parents are friend-
ly, but I wonder if we couldn't do it
another way."
"We can invite them in occasion-
ally," Mary remarked, "but there are
long lapses unless there is something
regular about it. And besides, it's al-
ways a trouble to think out how to en-
tertain a crowd for a whole evening."
"It's funny you brought this up to-
night, Mary, because I've been thinking
of something else. One of the counsel-
ors of the ward Mutual, the manual
counselor, I believe, met me on the
Mt. Jordan Stake sched-
uled a party in Draper for
July 30, 1943. But what
with gasoline rationing
and a tire shortage, some
members of Sandy Second
Ward feared they could
not attend. But with a
will to get there, four en-
terprising young persons
set to work — with the re-
sult shown in this picture.
Maxine Sanderson, Bert
Elg, Jean Sanderson, and
Charles Greenwood are the
happy quartet.
i
uivta
essaae
f
By JOSEPH J. CANNON
of the Y.M.M.I.A. Superintendency
streetcar and suggested that we ought
to have another Special Interest class
in Mutual. He thought I might help
organize one. I wonder if these same
people might not join us in such a group.
Maybe we could make it just as enjoy-
able as playing cards."
"I wonder. There is too much for-
mality in a class. It's like a school. No
refreshments. No dressing up. It's just
another meeting."
"Not the way he told me," Charles
replied. "He said we could make it just
what we wanted it to be — elect our own
officers and our own leader, make it dis-
cussion or lecture, or anything we want.
We can choose our own subject to
study. It sounded grand to me. We can
have dances, or dance instruction. We
can study plays or music or church his-
tory or whatever we want. They have
some fascinating outlines. I don't think
they would object if we dressed up. In
fact I think they'd like it. And I'm sure
we could prepare refreshments just as
often as we care to, every time, if we
like."
"But after all, it would be just Mutu-
al." It was evident that Mary was not
feverishly in favor of the suggestion.
"What's wrong with that?" Charles
answered. "Bud could go to Scout
meeting and Mary to Bee-Hive while
we are with our own group. That would
be better than having us off playing
cards that night. We'd know they were
there, and what is equally important,
they would know we were there."
' You know, Mary," Charles con-
tinued, "I'm crazy to learn more about
Latin America. There are a lot of peo-
ple in this town that have been there,
and I'd like to hear them tell about con-
ditions, and I'd like to tell a few things
myself. There's so little time to do such
studying with all I've got on. It seems
to me that this might give us a chance."
"Do you think the others would like
to join such a class?" Mary asked du-
biously. (Concluded on page 782)
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
^At Snowbound CHRISTMAS
Illustrated
by
Goff Dotvding
DINNER
"NAME YOUR PRICE
FOR A SANDWICH, AND
I'LL PAY IT."
s
'lowly, and almost silent-
ly, the mail train pulled out of Denver
late in the afternoon of December 24,
1891. Outside, a two-day-old blizzard
raged unabated.
My father, Bishop John C. Sharp, of
Vernon, Charles R. McBride, Charley
to everyone, of Tooele, and I had been
to Chicago with a train load of sheep
and had left that city in what we sup-
posed to be ample time to reach home
before Christmas, but a freight train in
Iowa was wrecked just ahead of us and
we were delayed for twelve hours.
From then it seemed that every time the
wheels turned we lost time until, com-
ing up from Omaha, Charley remarked
he thought the Pioneers of '47 had made
better time.
In those days, few trains carried a
dining car, but the train would stop for
twenty minutes at meal stations. We
had learned this — about the time the
waiter brought our food the conductor
would call, "Board," and it was up to
us to miss our dinner or our train. So
before leaving Chicago we purchased
one of those "chip" baskets, you know,
the kind with a handle over the top and
two lids that are raised from the ends,
and in this we had put bread, butter,
DECEMBER, 1943
some cheese, a stick of bologna, some
hard-boiled eggs, a sack of gingersnaps,
a shaker of salt and a bag of raw onions,
for both Father and Charley did like
onion sandwiches.
Just before we left Denver, Father
succeeded in purchasing a loaf of bread
and a small apple pie which we ate for
supper. Outside the blizzard raged and
blew the snow in around the windows
but inside we were comfortable, for the
brakeman kept the two coal stoves, one
in each end of the car, red hot.
Along about eight o'clock I made my
own private berth by adjusting the chair
and went to sleep. Some time in the
night I awoke. The train had stopped,
but that was nothing unusual, so I went
back to sleep. About daybreak I awoke.
The train was not moving so I walked to
the platform to see why the snow was
not drifting in. The snow had drifted
against the car and was even with the
tops of the windows. Evidently we had
been there most of the night.
Thoroughly disgusted with train
schedules and everything and every-
one in general, I went back inside the
coach for this was my first Christmas
away from home and I was really home-
sick. Father and Charley were reading.
By JAMES P. SHARP
Father looked up and asked me if I
wanted any breakfast. I told him "No."
Then he said it would do us all good to
fast till dinner time, for the railroad al-
ways put up a good meal on Christmas
day, and he thought we would enjoy it
better if we did not eat breakfast.
I walked up and down the aisle of
the car like a caged coyote.
There were three other passengers in
that coach. In one end sat a man with
his valise open and a lot of empty bot-
tles, as well as some full ones around
him and in the valise. Every few hours
he would rouse up and burst forth with
about two lines of some cowboy song
and then slump back to dreamland ( that
is if a drunken man can dream ) . In the
other end of the car were a young man
and a young lady, possibly 18 or 20
years of age.
About one o'clock Charley finished
his book and said, "Bishop, don't you
think the turkey is about cooked?"
"Should be," replied Father as he put
his book down and placed the lunch
basket on his knees. Again I was dis-
gusted. How could those men joke
about a turkey dinner when we had
only next to nothing to eat?
Just then the brakeman came in and
filled the stove full of coal. He spoke
to the young man and then came on
down the aisle with a grin on his face
and said, "Gentlemen, I'll take the
drumstick."
"Have cranberries with it?" Father
asked.
"No, by the looks of things I won't,
but say, I've got a good one. This is
supposed to be the crack fast mail train
and say it sure is fast — fast in a snow
bank."
"How long do you think we will be
here?" Charley asked.
"Can't say but no need to worry, for
the snow always melts up here come
July and then we can back down coun-
try." To the other stove he went as
Father resumed his bread-cutting and
Charley his spreading the butter.
I could see the young man looking at
us and talking to the lady. He arose and
walked down and said to Father, "Name
your price for a sandwich and I'll pay
it."
Father looked rather surprised, and
before he could answer, the young man
continued, "My sister and I have been
attending school up in Denver. Yester-
day morning she was so excited about
Christmas shopping she could not eat
breakfast and at lunch time she had to
{Concluded on page 789)
763
On. thsL SodJl floudc
HOW TO BE WELL
(Leah D. Widtsoe. Deseret Book Co.
1943. $2.00.)
"TPhis up-to-the-minute volume for every
* home is a "handbook and cookbook
based on the newer knowledge of nutrition."
At the time of this writing it has not come
from the press, and so we haven't seen it
yet — but it is promised for December de-
livery for those who are book-minded at
Christmas time. We have seen the manu-
script, however, and part of the proofs, and
are prepared to say that for anyone who has
the problem of cooking, arranging menus,
serving, entertaining, or feeding a family — ■
which is someone in every home — here is a
book that will pay dividends in many ways
— and most of all in health. More will be
said about How to be Well later — but in the
meantime keep it in mind as a summary of
the latest laboratory findings on human diet
— plus a household nutrition guide of much
practical value. — R. L. E.
SCIENCE, RELIGION, AND
THE FUTURE
(C. E. Raven. Macmillan Company,
New York. 1943. 125 pages. $2.00.)
'"Phis is frankly an attempt to reconcile
■*- science and religion in the light of mod-
ern knowledge. Both science and religion
are blamed for the world's present sorrow;
and both together can alone effect a cure.
In the first four chapters, the history of
events that in modern days parted science
and religion are related; in the remaining
four chapters the author considers how that
disaster may be retrieved through intellectu-
al, moral, and religious efforts. The first
chapter, "Seeing Life Whole," is especially
noteworthy. The book, accurate in scholar-
ship, is informative and stimulating reading.
— /. A. W.
MAN IN THE AIR
(Herbert S. Zim. Illustrated. Harcourt,
Brace. 6 Co.. N.Y. 1943. 332 pages. $3.00.)
This book is an analysis of man's reaction
to the tremendous height and speed
which airplanes attain. The planes have
been thoroughly tested to stand the strain,
and experts are now carefully checking
man's body to see how well he can take it —
and what effect the air has on his heart, his
lungs, and other parts of his body. — M. C. J.
HISTORY OF BIGOTRY IN
THE UNITED STATES
(Gustavus Myers. Random House, New
York. 1943. 504 pages. $3.50.)
Intolerance forms the ugliest chapter in
human history. There has been plenty
and to spare in the United States. That is
well demonstrated in this compendious vol-
ume. Dr. Myers begins with the transmis-
sion of bigotry from the Old to the New
World. In careful chronological order he
traces intolerance, usually in the name of
God, from the days of the American colonies'
to the present day. The blue laws, witch-
craft, the strife of creeds, persecutions of
Masons, Catholics, and Jews, the Know-
Nothings, A.P.A., and Ku Klux Klan, and
numerous other intolerant movements are
described with adequate references to au-
thorities. Mormon persecution is briefly
discussed. This is probably the most com-
plete and reliable treatment of bigotry
now available. The reading of this book
would be "good medicine" for all Ameri-
cans, for intolerance may enter the hearts
even of citizens of "the land of the free and
the home of the brave."' — J. A. W.
764
GOD AND EVIL
(C. E. M. Joad. Harper and Brothers,
New York. 1943. 349 pages. $3.00.)
This is in part a personal confession. The
author, one of the world's great philos-
ophers, professor of psychology and philos-
ophy at the University of London, has long
been known as an agnostic. Here he tells
how he has found his way back to belief in
God and life hereafter. As he presents his
argument, he summarizes the world's think-
ing on religion and man in the universe.
That makes the book of double value to
the average reader. The language is that
of a philosopher, an academician, but clear
and easily understood. He fails to recognize
the cohesive forces of the universe and
splashes about very often in uncertain wa-
ters. However, he knows what he has
found, and declares it in no uncertain terms:
"I am willing, as I once was not, to bank on
the religious hypothesis being true. ... If
the universe has meaning and purpose, this
life is not all, and something probably sur-
vives the break-up of our bodies. Indeed,
unless there is a more abundant life before
mankind, this material world in space and
time is a bad joke beyond our understanding,
a vulgar laugh braying across the mys-
teries."
There is little room left today for the
agnostic. — /. A. W.
CAT DRAWINGS
(Jack Sears. 716 Fourth Avenue, Salt Lake
City 3, Utah. 1943. 49 pages. $1.00.)
With an introduction by no less a person
than Mahonri Young, telling about
cats, with a poem by Vilate Raile written
expressly for this book, and with innumer-
able sketches and text concerning the draw-
ing of cats, this book will be of great inter-
est to a multitude of readers. Those who love
cats will have an opportunity of seeing the
cat in many of its usual and unusual poses.
Artists will be given insight into the work-
ing of an artist. The average reader will
take keen delight in the various media that
the author has used to capture the moods
and activities of these graceful animals.
— M . C. /.
THE PRIMACY OF FAITH
(Richard Kroner. Macmillan, New
York. 1943. 226 pages. $2.50.)
"Caith is the first principle of the gospel;
*■ therefore the most important and most
comprehensive concern of life. It has been
a subject for discussion throughout the
centuries. In this book the relationship of
knowledge and faith is discussed. Through
a series of thoughtful intelligent considera-
tions faith is defined and given primacy over
all other human activities. It is stimulating
reading, though the sectarian beliefs of the
author shape and color his argument.
— I A. W,
TWELVE SPANISH-
AMERICAN POETS
(Edited by H. R. Hays. Yale
University Press, New Haven,
Conn. 1943. 336 pages. $3.50.)
Tn an era when all folk in the western
* hemisphere wish to understand each
other better, this kind of book will find a
receptive audience because it introduces the
literature of the Spanish-Americans which
is one sure way of feeling the pulse of a
people.
The introduction is a keen analysis of
the various stages through which Latin-
American letters have passed and are pass-
ing, although the editor warns that this dis-
cussion is by no means final. The poets
included represent Mexico, Venezuela, Peru,
Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Argentina, and
Colombia — which afford a good cross-
section.
By placing the original opposite the
translation, the author has been wise — be-
cause those who can read in the original
will naturally receive much more than those
who can read only in translation. Another
good feature of the book is that the editor
has included biographical material concern-
ing each of the poets whose work is in-
cluded.—M. C. J.
THE TRIUMPH OF LIFE
(Edited by Horace Gregory. Viking
Press, New York. 1943. 603 pages. $2.50.)
'"Phis collection of 300 poems will give
•*■ spiritual sustenance and uplift, particu-
larly during these times of stress. The
divisions of the book are seven: Of Lovely
Women and Great Men; Of Wars and
Heroes; Of Precious Friends and the Sur-
vival of the Private Spirit; Of Love and
Earthly Passions; Of the Shades and Vi-
sions Seen of Life Renewed on Earth; Of
the Celebration of Time and Place and the
Eternal Moment; Of Saints and Hymns,
Reflections and Devotions of Life Beyond
Earth.
The poems represent work from 158-
poets and from six centuries of English
poetry. Although the individual reader may
feel that there are other poems which have
particular importance for him which he
would like to have seen included, none will
disagree that the choice made is a good
one.
One advantage of this book is that pub-
lishers have made the compilation into a
size convenient for carrying. — M. C. /.
KILGOURE'S MARE
(Henry G. Lamond. Illustrated. Morrow,
New York. 1943. 124 pages. $2.00.)
SET in the great plains of western Queens-
land, Australia, this story of the pedi-
greed colt, Amathea, will stir lovers of
horseflesh whether they are old or young.
The story, which itself is stirring and deeply
satisfying, gains vividness because of its.
unusual setting. Although Amathea is really
the heroine of the book, most readers will
take keen delight in the fiery Cascade,
mother of the colt. — M. C. /.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
f\evlewea bu /f/araa C-. /joiepkion
AMERICAN WARPLANES
(Elizabeth Mallett Conger. Illustrated.
Henry Holt & Co., New York.
1943. 161 pages. $2.00.)
THIS book, profusely illustrated with pic-
tures of our fighting planes, has been
written expressly for children under twelve.
The print and the text are both suitable for
this age level, although the material may
seem a bit heavy for these youngsters to
digest.
AIRPLANE ANDY
( Sanford Tousey. Illustrated. Doubleday,
Doran and Company, Garden City,
New York. 1942. 44 pages. $1.00.)
Andy Armstrong was lucky — wasn't his
father made flight superintendent of his
division? That meant, among other things,
that Andy could occasionally fly with his
father. But not even Andy could know
that on one of the flights, he would prove
himself of invaluable aid to his father and
to the government in helping save the plane.
Young boys particularly will find this book
an unusually interesting one.
RUFUS M.
(Eleanor Estes. Illustrated. Harcourt,
Brace and Co., New York.
1943. 320 pages. $2.00.)
Continuing the appealing story of the
Moffat family, this book centers around
Rufus, who always signed his name, "Rufus
M." Rufus was always creative, and when
the family found themselves in financial dif-
ficulties, Rufus found the way to help solve
the emergency. The wholesome fun and
activity related in this book will be of great
interest to young people.
THE SEA SNAKE
(Stephen W. Meader. Illustrated.
Harcourt, Brace and Co., New
York. 1943. 255 pages. $2.00.)
"Darney Cannon, sixteen, knew the keys
*-* along the North Carolina Coast where
his fisherman father, John, made the
family living. Barney became suspicious of
a ship that put out into one of the bays
without its lights. Investigating, he found
that enemies were manning the ship and
also a submarine that preyed on allied ship-
ping. The excitement that followed will
make stirring reading for both boys and
girls.
KEYSTONE KIDS
(John R. Tunis. Harcourt, Brace and Co.,
New York. 1943. 209 pages. $2.00.)
fTTHiS story of two brothers who played the
*- keystone combination in baseball — sec-
ond base and shortstop — will help satisfy
the desire for activity in a wholesome way.
In addition to the game itself, the author
teaches in an exciting way that good sports-
manship is a part of the whole of life, not
just a good baseball game.
COAST GUARD, AHOY!
(Philip Harkins. Illustrated. Harcourt,
Brace and Company, New York.
1943. 230 pages. $2.00.)
How Pete Shute finally managed to be-
come a full-fledged, responsible member
of the coast guard forms the basis for this
well-written, informative, interesting book.
The author has done well in including in
the book peacetime activities of the guard
in addition to their work in wartime. His
story is based on accurate information, and
will therefore be doubly valuable.
SOMI BUILDS A CHURCH
(Rafaello Busoni. Illustrated. Viking,
New York. 1943. 109 pages. $2.00.)
This is a true story about the Lapps of
northern Norway. The names have
been changed because the author states that
the Lapps are shy. These people, one hun-
dred and fifty miles from the nearest forest,
wanted above all else to have a wooden
church where they might learn the word of
God. This story tells how, through faith,
they were able to accomplish the seemingly
impossible. And the most remarkable part
of the story is that it is every bit true!
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH BETSY
(Carolyn Haywood. Illustrated. Harcourt,
Brace and Company, New York.
1943. 176 pages. $2.00.)
Following other Betsy books, this book
adds interest to the former and brings
back many of the same characters, including
the teacher who is now married. The chil-
dren have their adventures and misadven-
tures, their fun and their work.
Those who read B Is [or Betsy, Betsy and
Billy, Two and Two Ace Four, and Primrose
Day, will be eager to read Back to School
with Betsy, as will those who haven't read
any of the former.
THE BOY JONES
( Patricia Gordon. Illustrated. Viking, New
York. 1943. 158 pages. $2.00.)
This unusual story has somewhat the fla-
vor of Dickens and Mark Twain, some-
how reminiscent of The Prince and the
Pauper, as well as of David Copperfteld. The
boy Jones was an enterprising orphan, and
with a will to see his queen, Victoria, and
her palace, room my room, he set out to ac-
complish his desire. His adventures, the
people he met, and how he finally attained
his wish make good reading.
DECEMBER, 1943
ADAM OF THE ROAD
(Elizabeth Janet Gray. Illustrated by
Robert Lawson. Viking, New York.
1942. 317 pages. $2.00.)
TT'his story of thirteenth-century England
4- is valuable for young readers because
its drama is so intense that children absorb
the authentic history unconsciously. Dealing
with Adam, the minstrel Roger's son, the
reader is taken along the road, thus
meeting all kinds of unusual and fascinating
people, until at last Adam finds his father
and Nick, Adam's red spaniel.
WARTIME JOBS FOR GIRLS
(Mary Rebecca Lingenfelter. Harcourt,
Brace and Company, New York.
1943. 226 pages. $1.75.)
PVividing the book into seven fields, the
■*— ' author treats judiciously the various
kinds of work that girls can do and should
be considering now that there is a great
need for everyone to work. Most of the
jobs which the author discusses have peace-
time application also, and those who are di-
recting girls now will find the book most
helpful in pointing out constructive labor
which may become a lifetime career.
MOLLY AND THE TOOL SHED
(Sally Scott. Illustrated. Harcourt,
Brace and Company, New York.
1943. 41 pages. $1.50.)
TITTolly was a lamb who knew what she
liVl wanted, even if she didn't want what
other lambs usually wanted, for she had been
raised for the first part of her life in the
Brown kitchen. As time went on, Molly
found herself gradually being pushed into
the position of leadership among the young-
er lambs that came to the Brown farm. But
she still persisted in her one set desire — to
sleep in the woodshed. And that meant that
gradually the woodshed had to expand to
hold all the lambs that followed Molly.
PEACHBLOSSOM
(Eleanor Frances Lattimore. Illustrated.
Harcourt, Brace and Company, New
York. 1943. 96 pages. $2.00.)
T)eachblossom, a Chinese girl of six, is
-*- the heroine of this little book, which
children will take great pleasure in reading.
The story deals overmuch with the 'war
situation in China, which seems rather bad
for very young children. Although the book
ends happily, with Peachblossom being re-
stored to her aunt, the tragedy of her evacua-
tion might well overpower a sensitive child.
WENDERLEY
(Gertrude E. Mallette. Doubleday, Doran
& Company, Inc., Garden City, New
York. 1943. 250 pages. $2.00.)
Wenderley, California, was the center
of activity for those who wished to do
their part to win the war, for at Wenderley
a huge defense project had been built. From
their farm, where they had left Mrs. Farn-
ham and the children, including 17-year-old
Janet, Mr. Farnham and his daughter, Les-
ley, came, he to work in the defense plant,
and she to keep house for him. How Lesley
made herself invaluable in the little trailer
community, and aided herself in her time
of stress will make valuable reading for the
teen-year-old girl.
765
M CHUMM MS Oil
Park Stake
T)ark Stake was organized October
r 24, from parts of the Liberty and
Bonneville stakes by Elder John A.
Widtsoe of the council of the twelve
and Marion G. Romney, assistant to the
twelve.
The new stake includes the First,
Tenth, and Thirty-first wards, from the
Liberty Stake, and the LeGrand and the
new Emigration wards from the Bonne-
ville Stake, and a new ward, as yet un-
named, created from the eastern part of
the Emigration Ward.
T. Percy Goddard, president of the
Liberty Stake, was sustained as presi-
dent of the Park Stake, with Fred M.
Michelson and Hendrick Poelman as
counselors.
Virgil H. Smith, former second coun-
selor in the Liberty Stake presidency
was sustained as president of the Lib-
erty Stake, with C. Alfred Laxman and
B. F. Pulham, counselors.
The church now has one hundred
forty-five organized stakes.
Sunday School Outlines
Cubjects to be studied in the Sunday
^ School classes during the year 1944
have been announced. As in the past,
manuals containing the entire year's
study course will be issued for every
department. Teachers' supplements, an
innovation, will be published for all
departments, except Nursery, Kinder-
garten, Primary and Teacher Training
groups, which will continue to draw
lesson helps from The Instructor.
Courses of study for 1944 follow:
Nursery, Kindergarten, and Primary
departments: Stories from the Bible,
Book of Mormon, and Church History;
First Intermediate: History of the
Church for Children; Second Interme-
diate: Leaders of the Scriptures; Jun-
iors: History of the Restored Church;
Advance Juniors: The Church of
Jesus Christ; Seniors: Our Standard
Works; Advanced Seniors: Principles
of the Gospel; Gospel Message: Teach-
ing the Gospel to Others (No. 2) ; Gen-
ealogical Training: Adventures in Re-
search*, Gospel Doctrine: The Old
Testament, and Teacher Training ( see
Teacher Training department in The
Instructor) .
Thirty-Year Scout Award
Elder Oscar A. Kirkham of the first
council of the seventy has received
the thirty-year Boy Scout award from
national Scout executives. The award
is a gold pin and a certificate attesting
to three decades of service.
Buckley Field Services
T)vt. Mark R. Cram reports the or-
•*■ ganization of a Sunday School
among Latter-day Saint service men in
the army air force at Buckley Field,
766
Church-of-the-Air
"President David O. McKay of
the first presidency will be the
speaker on the nationwide Col-
umbia Church-of-the-Air Decem-
ber 19, at 11:00 a.m. M. W. T.
Music for the program will be
furnished by the Salt Lake Tab-
ernacle Choir and Organ.
Colorado. Forty-three men and two
women attended the first meeting Sep-
tember 19. Post chaplains are lending
their support.
Washington Organist
■Qoy M. Darley of Wellsville, Utah,
A^ has been appointed organist and di-
rector of the Bureau of Information at
the Washington, D.C., chapel. He suc-
ceeds D. Sterling Wheelwright. Elder
Darley, who has been prominent in
northern Utah music circles, recently
returned from a mission in the Eastern
States, where he served as music di-
rector for eleven months.
Ward Membership Records
T-he Presiding Bishop's office again
A points to the benefits that come
when church membership is properly
filed in the ward in which the member
resides. The record is there if ever
needed in civil matters — otherwise it
may require months of search by corres-
pondence. A person can hold office in
the ward only if he is on record; not be-
CHAPEL
AT
JEROME, IDAHO,
BUILT OF
NATIVE LAVA
ROCK.
ing on record will prevent being ad-
vanced in the priesthood or given a
temple recommend. Children should be
blessed and baptized only if parents are
on record in the ward.
Comments On Tabernacle Choir
T-Tigh-ranking radio executives and
■*■ •*• millions of listeners consider the
coast-to-coast Tabernacle Choir and
Organ broadcasts one of their best be-
loved programs, Mrs. Dorothy Lewis of
New York City, coordinator of listener
activity, National Association of Broad-
casters, said as she visited in Salt Lake
City October 1 7. She stated that listen-
ers are even more appreciative when
they discover that the Choir is a group
of unpaid singers.
L.D.S. Meeting Places in Britain
Aberdeen: Room 26, 17, St. Nicholas Street.
Airdrie: L.D.S. Hall, 136. Graham Street, Airdrie,
Scotland.
Aldershot: 19, Edward Street.
Barnsleg: Arcade Buildings.
Batley: L.D.S. Hall, Well Lane.
Belfast: 122, North Street.
Birmingham
Handsworth: L.D.S. Chapel, 23, Booth Street.
Kingstanding: Peckham Rd. Schools.
Sparkbrook: Conway Rd. Schools.
Blackbutn: 89, Regent Street.
Bradford: L.D.S. Chapel, Woodlands Street.
Brighton: 77, Grand Parade (first door).
Bristol
L.D.S. Hall, Zion Road, off Clarence Road.
Hanhams Co-operative Hall, High Street, Kings-
wood.
Burnley: L.D.S. Chapel, 1, Liverpool Road, Rose-
grove.
Bury: L.D.S. Chapel, 15, Broad Street.
Clayton: L.D.S. Hall, Gordon Street.
Derby: Unity Hall.
Doncaster: L.D.S. Hall, Trafford Street.
Dublin: At Mills Caterers, 8, Merrion Row.
Eastwood: Library, Church St.
Edinburgh: Enquire 48, London Street.
CAREY, IDAHO,
CHAPEL AND
RECREATION HALL
OF MODERN
DESIGN.
Photos by
Olive May Cook
Wmm. -mmm*
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Gainsborough: L.D.S. Hall, 4b, Silver Street.
Gateshead: Westfield Hall, Westfleld Terrace.
Glasgow: Masonic Hall, 30, Abbotsford PL, C. 5.
Gravesend: 142, Parrock Street.
Gt. Yarmouth: Home Branch, 56, Wolseley Road.
Grimsby: Thrift Hall, Pasture Street.
Halifax: 38, Clare Road, off Horton Street.
Hartley: First Floor, 14, Percy Street.
Hucknall: Byron Buildings.
Hull: L.D.S. Chapel, Wellington Lane.
Hyde: L.D.S. Hall. 29, Beeley Street.
Kidderminster: L.D.S. Chapel, Park Street.
Leeds: L.D.S. Hall, 5, King Charles St.
Leicester: All Saints' Open, Great Central Street.
Letchworth: Vasanta Hall, Gernon Walk.
Liverpool: L.D.S. Chapel, 301, Edge Lane.
London
North: L.D.S. Chapel, 59, Clissold Rd., N. 16.
South: L.D.S. Chapel, 149, Nightingale Lane, S.
W. 12.
Catford: 61, Gareth Grove, Bromley, Kent.
Chiswick: 58, Wellsley Road, Gunnersbury. W. 4.
Loughborough: Adult School.
Lowestoft: L.D.S. Hall, 20, Clapham Road.
Luron: L.D.S. Hall, Dallow Road.
Mansfield: 39a. Albert Street.
Manchester: L.D.S. Hall, 88, Clarendon Road.
Merthyr Tydfil: L.D.S. Chapel, Penyard Road.
Middlesborough: L.D.S. Hall, 21, Bottomly Street.
Nelson: L.D.S. Hall, 10, Hibson Road.
Northampton: L.D.S. Chapel, 89, St. Michael's
Road.
Nottingham: The Institute, Radstock Road.
Norwich: L.D.S. Chapel, 60, Park Lane.
Nuneaton: Masonic Hall, Newdegate Street.
Pictures from Severol Fronts
Reading from top to bottom:
TWO CAMPS
Left: Latter-day Saint soldiers are seen here at a
Kentucky post about to conduct a sacrament service.
Left to right: Rey L. Pratt, Provo, Utah; Keith
Facer, Wyoming; A. Sherman Gowans, Tooele, Utah;
Howard Robinson, American Fork, Utah.
Right: From the Middle East comes this picture
of Latter-day Saint service men who meet together
regularly and have formed a Sunday School. Tents in
background, their only meeting place, lend realism.
Left to right, front row: Morris Gibbons, Wanship,
Utah; Morris T. Smith, Wellsville, Utah; Stanley H.
Mellor, Salt Lake City; Joseph R. May, Malad, Idaho;
Marvin S. Carter, Morgan, Utah; Archie Swenson,
Sandy, Utah; DeForest D. Sharp, and Stanley B.
Erickson, Thornton, Idaho.
JACKSONVILLE NURSING CLASS
Twenty women of the Jacksonville, Florida, L.D.S.
branch received honor certificates recently following
a twelve weeks' Red Cross course in home nursing.
On completing their work, Mrs. Isabel Bowles, in-
structor, paid the group a high compliment as her
most studious, cooperative, and attentive group, a
constant challenge to her. She valued her "Mormon
class" for calmness, dependability, courtesy, alert-
ness, and physical health, and acknowledged that
while she had come to teach them good health, she
had herself received enlightenment from the Word
of Wisdom and was determined to practice it. The
class, she said, had been an inspiration to her.
Pictured, front row, left to right, are Adeline
Chase, Mrs. R. J. Rudd, Jr., Nurse Isabel W. Bowles,
Nellie Dyal, Vella Strickland; second row: Mrs. Heber
Meeks (wife of Southern States mission president),
Mrs. A. 0. Jenkins, Elsie Starling, Mrs. N. S. Sellers,
Mrs. R. J. Rudd, Sr.; back row: Edna Kirkland,
Thelma Bonham. Members of the class not present:
Minnie Dills, Lucille Copeland, Mrs. Hammond, Mrs.
Kinard, Hazel Jacobs, Mrs. Yorkum, Mrs. Wilson,
Ruth Atkin. — Reported by Mrs. Heber Meeks.
SAN DIEGO FIRESIDE
Hillcrest Ward, San Diego Stake, holds a Fire-
side every Sunday evening, well-attended by service
men. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday every week
at a special L.D.S. servicemen's center, stake
Gleaner Girls provide entertainment. Activities in
the San Diego area are thriving under the direction
of Chaplain John W. Boud, Jr. (pictured, rear
center) and Willard Kimball, L.D.S. coordinator.
The Fireside group seen here is typical.
— Reported by Maurine Francis
UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Organized shortly after their arrival July 1, 1943,
this branch of L.D.S. naval reserves seems to be
thriving with a smile. They have been allowed the
use of the school lounge for Sunday morning meetings.
Seen in the picture are, from left to right, front
row: Jack Ord, Baker, Oregon; Eric 0. Sonnenberg,
Chicago, III.; W. Reed Brockbank, Warren Rupper,
and Rand H. Clark, of Provo, Utah. Back row: H.
Holling Lowe, Preston, Idaho; Malcolm Jeppson,
Mantua. Utah; Robert de Preston, Logan, Utah;
Henry Smith, Price, Utah; George N. Weston, Lake-
town, Utah; Wilbur Jensen, Franklin, Idaho; Clyde
C. DeGraff, Heber, Utah; Wendell Roskelley, Smith-
field, Utah; Warren Hardy, Gunnison, Utah; Jack B.
Watkins, Brigham City, Utah.
— Reported by Jack B. Watkins, presiding elder.
Oldham: L.D.S. Hall, Neville Street.
Plymouth: c/o Tom Harris, 16, Hazelwood Terrace,
Peverill.
Pontlanfraith: 81, Brynteg Street.
Preston, Lanes.: L.D.S. Hall, 44, Avenham Street.
Pudsey: Home Branch, 8, Fern Terrace, Thorpe
Road.
Rawmarsh: L.D.S. Hall, Main Street.
Rochdale: L.D.S. Chapel, Lower Sheriff Street.
Sheffietd: L.D.S. Chapel, Lyons Road.
Shildon: L.D.S. Hall, 100, Main Street.
South Shields: L.D.S. Hall, 36, Fowler Street.
St. Albans: 49, Spencer Street.
Stroud: Harley Wood, Nailsworth.
Sunderland: L.D.S. Chapel, 18, Tunstall Road.
Varteg: Memorial Hall.
West Hartlepool: L.D.S. Chapel, 7, Osborne Road.
Weston-super-Mare: 23, Chesham Rd., N.
Wigan: 6, Standishgate.
Wolverhampton: Washington Bldgs., Queen Street.
Ensign Taylor Hen-
ry Carr, Latter-day
Saint who has been
given command of the
naval guard aboard
the "Joseph Smith,"
recently launched Lib-
erty ship. A graduate
from the University
of Idaho, Southern
Branch, in pharmacy,
Ensign Carr joined
the naval reserve a
year ago. He and his
wife are making their
temporary residence in
the Palo Alto Ward,
San Francisco. — Re-
ported by Dallas A.
Tueller.
{Continued on page 778)
fn -.riftfcr. n"
DECEMBER, 1943
767
Editorials
L^oncemina — )u
for L^kamcter
S^unthetic S^>ni>6tltate5
'T'here has long been a philosophy too widely enter-
"*• tained that a personal weakness could be offset by
a legal device. For example, there have been those who
have supposed that if a man weren't fundamentally
honest, you could make him honest merely by passing
a law against dishonesty, or that if a man weren't dis-
posed to be moral, you could assure his morality by
legislating against immorality. And this line of thinking
has gone yet further. There was a day, for example,
when more business was done on the strength of per-
sonal integrity — more on character and less on col-
lateral. But in some places collateral has tended to re-
place character. But, lest we forget it, integrity of char-
acter is still an indispensable element of any transaction,
regardless of what other safeguards may be insisted
upon. And this isn't true only of personal negotiations;
it is true also of national and international relationships,
because nations are only groups of people and govern-
ments are only men — and agreements are worth no
more than the integrity of those who are responsible
for them.
He who has the word of a man of honor has some-
thing to count on, but he who has a document with a
gold seal on it, may have only a scrap of paper, because
history, both past and current, has proved that there is
no security that can not be "watered," no strong box
that cannot be broken, no treaty that cannot be
scrapped, no truce that cannot be violated, no fortress
that cannot be levelled, no oath that cannot be dis-
honored, unless behind all these things there stand men
of high principle.
The only relationships in this world that have ever
been worth while and enduring, have been relationships
in which one man could trust another — not relationships
in which one man was forced to seek ways of protecting
himself against another, because, in the first place, you
can't legislate a man or a nation or a people into being
good, and there is no legal device yet found that will
surely and permanently protect anyone from anyone
else who is persistently determined to be false or dis-
honorable.
Maybe one of these days, if we haven't done so
already, we shall begin again to bank more on character
and less on collateral, more on personal responsibility
and less on legislation, more on private resourcefulness
and less on public relief, more on common sense and less
on regulation, more on simple justice and less on the
involvements of litigation, more on principle and less
on expediency — because there isn't any law that can
be enforced, there isn't any security that is worth the
gilded seal affixed to it, there isn't any promise that's
worth the breath that speaks it, there isn't any com-
mitment that's binding beyond the present, there isn't
any free enterprise that can be saved, there isn't any
future for anyone, except on the basis of personal and
national integrity.
But in looking for such a day, we must remember
1i^J«^J^$U
that there isn't any synthetic formula for the making of
integrity. If it is to be had, it begins at the cradle, and
for generations back — and permeates every phase of
home, community, and national life. And if you can't
build on character, you can't build on anything — for
long. — R, L. E.
L^kndma5, 1943
Ironically, Christmas comes this year with the beat-
**■ ing of plowshares into guns and pruning hooks into
bombs. Yet, in spite of this tragic situation, the persistent
hope rings in the hearts of true Christians everywhere
that some day there will indeed be a fulfilment of the
prophecy concerning the ultimate victory of peace.
And everywhere, likewise, Christians are asking them-
selves seriously, anxiously, what they may do to hasten
that time.
Perhaps for this Christmas, restraint would be the
better way of celebration — restraint in the accepted
hilarity of the festive season, restraint in the riotous
spending of money, restraint in the moving from place
to place in search of holiday escape.
With the practice of this restraint, some of the true
meaning of Christmas may be revived. For many years,
Christians throughout the world have felt that Christ-
mas has been too commercialized, that the real purpose
behind the celebration has been completely lost in the
avalanche of gifts, and in the rush of buying and selling.
Because of this rush, there has been too little time to
recall the wonder of Christ's life and teachings. It con-
stitutes not only great literature, but also the way of
life that has bettered countless millions who have ac-
cepted Christianity, whether they live in India, in Eng-
land, in South Africa, or in the United States. This
Christmas, would it not be wise to read together in
families and neighborhoods the message in all its force
and beauty from the book of books? And in that read-
ing there would come a consciousness of the truth that
the gift of gifts which Christ brought has been complete-
ly ignored or forgotten, for the Christ said, "I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly."
Certainly, the abundant life should include true
friendliness. And how shall that be cultivated? Not
through expensive gifts nor with elaborate parties, but
by a warm cordiality and a genuine affection that make
people know there is a genuine interest in them. If this
year restraint in buying is practiced, there will be
enough time and energy saved from the usual rush to
revive the old neighborliness that used to exist. In
early days, neighbor needed neighbor and met him with
an eager hospitality. This interdependence led to the
abundant, generous life. Each had the assurance that,
in time of emergency or necessity, he and his loved ones
would be aided wholeheartedly. This neighborliness is
the essence of Christianity and of the abundant life.
Thus, at this Christmas time, while restraint would
be emphasized in material things, on the other hand,
the very opposite would be stressed in the generous
giving of self. — M. C. J.
768
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Evidences and
reconciliations
Ixxlli. l/l/ku am the l/l/ordd Ljod
ana ^jratker ^Mppliea to
S^everal J-^t
ef5onaae5
?
rT*'uE supreme, personal intelligence and power in the
A universe is God. That is his name in the English
tongue. He is the Organizer of the universe. He is the
one and only God to whom we pray and whom we
worship.
We speak of Jesus Christ also as God. He is fre-
quently referred to in sacred writ by that term. On the
title page of the Book of Mormon he is called the
"Eternal God." The personage known as the Holy
Ghost is also called God. Thus, there are God, the
Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Ghost; the
two latter are under the direction of God the Father.
It is evident, therefore, that since the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost are distinct personages, the word
"God" is not only a name, but may be used also as a
title describing an attainment or office. Such applica-
tion of titles is not unusual. In the Book of Mormon it
is stated that the Redeemer of man "shall be called
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and
earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning."
(Mosiah 3:8.) These are titles that refer to Christ's
relationship to the Father and to his mission under the
Father.
In the same manner the title "God" may be applied
to anyone who has attained to Godhood, that is, who
has risen so high as to partake sufficiently of the
essence of divinity.
Joseph Smith the Prophet declared that there is a
plurality of gods. An indication of such plurality runs
through the scriptures, ancient and modern. In the very
beginning of time Adam and Eve were promised that
they should "be as gods" (Genesis 3:5); and Jesus
reminded the Jews that in their scriptures it was written
"ye are gods." (John 10:34.) Paul spoke of "lords
many and gods many." (I Cor. 8:5.) Modern revela-
tion presents the same truth when it says "according to
that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of
the Eternal God of all other gods before this world
was." (D. & C. 121:32.)
This implies that many personages may have attained
the power and place of Godhood. This does not make
them in any sense coequal with God, or with his Son, or
the Holy Ghost. Those who are denominated gods have
a rank in the eternal councils, with corresponding power
to help foster the purposes of the Father. There may
be many generals in an earthly government, but only
one commander-in-chief. Even so in the government
of heaven.
This doctrine is familiar to Latter-day Saints. The
gospel teaches that the hosts of intelligent beings here
and in the spirit world may progress forever. The con-
dition is obedience to eternal law. These personages are
in various stages of progression, some beginning, others
far on the way. Some, through the eternities, may
already have won sufficient of the attributes of divinity
to be spoken of as gods. The destiny of all who are
faithful is godhood. Modern revelation makes the
promise to all who comply with certain requirements:
"Then shall they be gods, because they have no end;
therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting,
because they continue; then shall they be above all,
because all things are subject unto them. Then shall
they be gods, because they have all power, and the
angels are subject unto them." (D. & C. 132:20.)
The conditions under which Godhood may be at-
tained have not been set forth fully. Necessarily so
high a place can be obtained only by rigid obedience
to God's laws. Those who aspire to such exaltation
must be sealed as man and wife for time and eternity.
Then they may continue the work of the Father in
behalf of the waiting intelligences in the spirit world.
Their "glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of
the seeds forever and ever." (D. & C. 132:19.)
This doctrine explains why the word "god" is ap-
plied in the holy scriptures to various personages. There
is no need to stumble over such use of divine titles, if
this is understood.
The word "father" is also applied to different person-
ages. God is the father of the spirits of all men. They
were begotten spiritually by him in the pre-existent
state. The relationship between God and man as father
and son is real. Jesus Christ himself was the First Be-
gotten of the Father. (D. & C. 93:21.) Therefore, we
speak of God, the Father, to distinguish clearly among
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But, the title
"Father" is used also in behalf of Jesus Christ, who was
commissioned by his Father to create the earth and all
things on it. Mosiah, a Book of Mormon prophet, speaks
of Jesus Christ as "the Father of heaven and earth" be-
cause he was the creator of "all things" as pertaining
to the earth. (Mosiah 3:8; also Helaman 14:12; Ether
4:7; II Nephi 25:12.) Adam likewise, being the first
man, has been called the father. (D. & C. 29:34.) This
is not an uncommon use of the word. George Washing-
ton is called the father of his country. A man who
creates a great business is called the father of the in-
stitution. The Indians are said to speak of the great
father in Washington. The leader of any cause is fre-
quently referred to as its father.
Some students, noting this use of the word "father,"
have become confused. They have thought that Jesus
is really God, the Father. Others have attempted to
identify Adam with God, the Father, or with Jesus
Christ. That these are distinct personalities is made
clear in numerous passages in holy writ. For example:
But God . . . called upon our father Adam by his own voice,
saying: I am God; I made the world, and men before they
were in the flesh. And he also said unto him: If thou wilt
turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and
repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in
water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full
of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name
which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall
come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever
ye shall ask, it shall be given you. (Moses 6:50-52.)
If God, the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and
Adam, irrespective of their titles, are not distinct per-
sonages, the above words become meaningless and
absurd.
Readers should distinguish carefully between speci-
fic and general meanings of words, as may appear in
the sacred books or in gospel discourses. If this is not
done, much confusion of thought may arise. In fact,
many who have failed to do so, have been led astray
from the truth.
A good example of the unfounded foolish notions
that may arise from careless reading is the famous dis-
course of Brigham Young, used by apostates and
enemies of the church. (See Journal of Discourses,
1 :50.) In this address, Brigham Young spoke of Adam
as our father and our god. {Concluded on page 797)
DECEMBER, 1943
769
CONDUCTED BY MARBA C. JOSEPHSON
P °f^?W <}/"y?yJ>o °rPT>-^> °/~2T?~£> °r?T>^> <J
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L^firidtmad to Ujoul
I
TOYS FROM ODDS AND ENDS
The scrap bag will furnish material
for the bedding. Cut a mattress to fit
the bottom of the bed ( Figure 3 ) from
ticking or heavy print and seam, piping
or cording the seams if desired. Stuff
with layers of cotton or cotton batting
and slipstitch opening shut. Make two
pillows from matching material.
The sheets and pillow cases (Figure
TITake this both an economical and
■*•Y■*• happy Christmas for the children.
These toys are easily constructed from
odds and ends about the house, take
only a few hours of a busy mother's
time, furnish untold fun and enjoyment
for a little girl.
A Spool Bed and Bedding. A little
girl will be delighted with this four-
poster bed made from spools and the
boards from a wooden grocery box and
the dainty bedding salvaged from the
scrap bag. It can be made to any dimen-
sions to fit any size doll.
Saw out the bottom, the side boards,
and the foot and head piece, shaped as
shown in Figure 1, and nail together
with tiny brads to form a box. Empty
spools form the legs and posts. (The
number of spools required will depend
upon the size of the bed.) The spools
are stacked on end and glued with glue
or wooden cement, which may be pur-
chased at any drug or dime store. The
latter is preferable because it makes for
sturdier construction, as the spools
when glued thus cannot be pulled apart.
Glue the box to the legs, setting the
corners of the box exactly in the center
of the spool holes. A piece is sawed
out of the spool that fits around the
corner of the box, as shown in Figure
2, and the spool is glued in place; then
more spools are glued in position to form
the posts. A smaller darning cotton
spool or large wooden bead may be used
to finish each post. The hole in the last
spool is filled with crack filler or putty.
When the glue or cement has had
time to set, sandpaper very smooth, and
paint the bed with enamel, or wood
stain.
2
or Cordin.
^
Stuffing
4) are made from a scrap of muslin. A
flower spray of lazy-daisies and French
knots takes only a minute to do and
makes a dainty decoration.
The quilt (Figure 5) is also made
from muslin with colored flowers and
border appliqued in place, and is quilted
by hand or machine. Another quilt pat-
tern may be used if desired.
A Bassinet. One would never guess
that the frilly bassinet, just right for the
'WU
---
v
7
~
7otd
to
Seam..
'm^-
Xoiiom of spool
SdW out piece
newest baby doll, was made from a
wooden grocery box, several feet of
baling wire, a piece of dimity, batiste, or
other sheer figured material, and a bit
of ribbon or lace.
Cut a piece of material the height of
the box plus two inches by once and a
half distance around the inside. Seam
the ends together and run two rows of
machine stitching along each side. Pull
up to fit and tack to box, as shown in
Figure 1, after first padding the inside
of the box with a layer of cotton batting.
Cut a pad to fit the bottom, seam, leav-
ing one side open, stuff with cotton, and
slipstitch opening shut. Make a pillow
and cover in the same way.
By Katherine Dissinger
'ntf solid color
Wiik*
Teens
Yellow~
Jjorder'
To make the hood, cut a piece of ma-
terial, as shown in Figure 2. Finish
straight end with ribbon or lace. Run
two rows of machine stitching along
the back edge. Make tucks, also shown
in Figure 2, and insert wire through
tucks. Pull up the back edge of the
hood so that it fits one end of the box
and tack into position to the outside
of the box. Cut wire the correct length
to form a hood, as shown in Figure 3,
and bend ends of wire at right angles
for one-half inch. Tack sides of hood
to outside edge of box, as shown.
The outside ruffle is cut the height of
the box plus one inch for turning down
and twice the distance around the out-
side of the box. Seam ends together,
Ibck io
BotiotfLs
-Tack lo
ouiscrfcs
Gather
>%&fe Tucks
FIG.
770
FI G . 2> ^ ftlbb0** v-fol-3^
Tucks wi-tlz inserted wire.
Gathers
ttvod lacked
to outside edge.
Wins, benfat
' right a noies
JfdAe pleats
when tdchitfa
Hiihhosz^
orJtaces
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
finish bottom with more of the ribbon or
lace. Turn down top and run two rows
of machine stitching about one-half
inch from edge. Pull up to fit box and
baste in place to cover the tacks. Rib-
bon may be basted around the top edge
if desired. Finish the bassinet with a
double bow and streamers sewed to
one corner.
GIFTS WITH PERSONALITY
lovely wrapping complements the
gift inside, makes it doubly appre-
ciated. But your packages always seem
to look like a small child's first attempt!
Making a neat, smooth package is
mo trick at all when you do it this way:
1. Cut paper large enough to wrap
around the box, allowing for overlap-
ping one inch at the bottom and extend-
ing beyond each end of the box slightly
less than the depth of the box. If paper
is thin and the box shows through,
double before cutting or line with plain
paper the same size.
A
2. Wrap around box with overlap-
ping edges on the bottom and fasten
with sticker.
3. Fold top of wrapping down on
end, sides to center, and bottom up
over ends. Fasten with a sticker. Turn
package and fold other end.
4. Turn box to right side to decorate.
This year it will be impossible to buy
many of the pretty papers, ribbons, and
decorations of former years, and pack-
ages will be wrapped in plain tissue and
simply decorated.
1 . A tall box of bath salts is wrapped
in red tissue and tied with red ribbon
ending in little red and white yarn
pompoms.
2. Crossed red ribbons and a red
candle in holder are glued to the top of
a white tissue package.
(Continued on page 772)
DECEMBER, 1943:
For FLA VOR that teases . . .
NUTRITION that pleases
Use ROYAL ENRICHED BREAD
There's a flavor and freshness about Royal Enriched Bread
that teases your appetite before you even taste it. And you
also get those important health-giving vita-
mins and minerals that supply extra food
value everyone needs.
Enjoy This New Radio Serial
"SAM ADAMS, YOUR HOME-
FRONT QUARTERMASTER"
KSL— 9:30 a.m.
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
Royal Baking Co., Salt Lake and Ogden
More Than 50 Years of Service and Progress
Fresh every day
at your grocer's
Wherever They Go . . .
"I have been overseas to North Af-
rica, and the 'Era' has been a constant
companion to me all through my army
life."
Charles I. Lambert,
Florence, Arizona
ft
<bend the (bra to those
in the Service
The Improvement Era
$2.00 50 North Main St.
Year Salt Lake City, Utah
771
$lfg$
swe8^
^estetft
fVfltf*
TODAY IN grocery stores
throughout Western Amer-
ica— in big cities and small, in
every town and hamlet, and in
every crossroads store, you'll
find Utah's own Morning Milk!
For the fame of Morning Milk's
finer flavor has spread through-
out the 1 1 Western States.
Have you tried Morning
Milk? Compare its flavor with
any other evaporated milk and
you'll understand why thous-
ands are switching to finer-fla-
vored Morning Milk!
Utah's Only
Home-Owned
Evaporated
Milk
MOMMG
MILK
Everyone Likes a Good Story
Give
Paul Bailey's
THE GAY SAINT
A fast-moving novel based on early
Mormon history
$2.50
The Bookcraft Co.
P. O. Box 63
Salt Lake City 1, Utah
{Continued from page 771) tissue with dark blue stars and a single
3. Boys like smart-looking, tailored criss-cross ribbon.
packages. Red cellophane tape is ap- 5. Silver bell stickers attached to a
plied to white tissue packages. narrow silver ribbon decorate the top
4. A large box is wrapped in white of another package.
Payment for Handy Hints used will be
one dollar upon publication. In the event
that two with the same idea are submitted,
the one postmarked earlier will receive the
dollar. None of the ideas can be returned,
but each will receive careful consideration.
An excellent way to economize during
these times is to turn your old unused ice
box into a child's wardrobe. I painted mine
white and added a touch of color with
Decals. The ice compartment hold shoes
and socks while the space underneath is for
hats and caps. The shelves in the side
compartment were easily removed and a rod
added to hold hangers for suits and dresses.
The children love to put away their own
clothes and keep it tidy. — Mrs. I. A. J., San
Bernardino, California.
When popcorn fails to pop, it is usually
because of the low moisture content. A lit-
tle experimenting will show how much water
is needed. One teaspoon of water to a
quart of popcorn is the average. Mix it
thoroughly, put it in an airtight container.
In 24 to 48 hours it is ready to pop. — G. G„
Berkeley, California.
Rub inside and outside of fowl with lemon
juice for distinctive flavor. — L. C. J., Mor-
oni, Utah.
Pine cones may be used as favors at the
most elaborate banquet, or simplest party,
by smoothing the bottom of the cone, so
that it will stand up — then place a bright-
colored candleholder with candle in top of
cone; a small triangle of colored paper
pasted to the cone may serve for the guest's
name. This is an excellent way to make
money for Bee-Hive girls or 4-H clubs. —
Mrs. J. D. McG., Cleveland, Idaho.
To make roast poultry look especially at-
tractive, glaze it with jelly the last half hour
before taking it from the oven. Break up the
contents of a half cup of red jelly with a
fork and spread over the fowl. It will have
to be basted often, but it will have a brown,
shiny finish which looks and tastes delicious.
— Mrs. /. G. C, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
We save and dry our cushaw and pump-
kin seeds to toast in the oven; the kernels are
good to serve as you serve roasted peanuts,
and are very nutritious. We also save our
apricot stones (sweet pits) and use the
blanched kernels in apple, plum, apricot,
and peach butter, or roasted in the oven. —
Miss M. F., Wichita, Kansas.
A common pair of tweezers is a wonder-
ful help in pulling pin feathers from a tur-
key; also a wax candle is excellent for help-
ing to prepare that holiday fowl. It's sure-
fire for burning off fine feathers and fuzz. — ■
Mrs. A. J., Blackfoot, Idaho.
To prevent holiday fruit cake from burn-
ing on the bottom, before putting the cake
in the oven, get a pie plate or a pan large
enough to hold the fruit cake pan. Cover
the bottom of it with salt and set the fruit
cake in this pan. No matter how long the
cake is left in, it will not burn on the bot-
tom.— Mrs. R. K., Miami, Florida.
To prevent filling from soaking in pie
crust, dust over bottom crust with a mixture
of flour and sugar before adding fruit or
other filling. — Mrs. A. J., Mesa, Arizona.
By Josephine B. Nichols
Yummy Gifts from Your Kitchen
*V7"ou'll adore helping the jolly old fel-
A low sprinkle on stars, tie saucy bow-
knots, and splash gay holiday hues over
these delectables for eating and giving.
Chicken Timbales
3
3
3
tablespoons butter or other fat
tablespoons flour
cups broth, milk, or thin gravy
eggs
salt and pepper
3 cups cooked diced chicken
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Make a sauce of the fat, flour, and liquid.
Add the well-beaten eggs, seasoning, and
chicken. Pour into greased timbale molds
or custard cups. Place the cups in a pan of
water. Bake in a moderate oven (350° F.)
about one-half hour, or until set in center.
Turn the timbales out and serve hot with
thin cream gravy or mushroom sauce; gar-
nish with preserved cranberries.
Christmas Salad
1 package quick-setting gelatin
(orange flavor)
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup cold water
\)A cups uncooked cranberries
l/2 orange
Y^ cup chopped celery
% cup diced apple
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add
sugar and cold water. Put cranberries and
unpeeled orange through food chopper; add
to gelatin mixture and chill until it begins
to thicken. Add celery and apples; pour into
mould. Chill until firm. Garnish with
mayonnaise. (Serves 16.)
%
5
1
%
Y*
Vi
Vi
Vi
H
Holiday Cake
cup butter or shortening
cup sugar
egg whites
teaspoon almond extract
cups sifted cake flour
teaspoon baking powder
teaspoon salt
cup candied cherries (cut)
cup citron, finely cut
cup seedless raisins
cup chopped almonds
cup coconut
772
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Cream butter; add sugar gradually and
cream until light and fluffy. Add egg whites,
one at a time, bearing after each addition.
Add fruit, nuts, coconut, and flavoring. Add
flour, a small amount at a time. Bake in a
loaf pan. Line baking pan with brown
paper and grease the sheet next to the cake
batter. Bake in slow oven (300* F.) one
hour and fifteen minutes.
Honey Popcorn Balls
Yi cup strained honey
Yt cup corn syrup (light)
1 teaspoon vinegar
Yi tablespoon butter
\Yi quarts popped corn
Cook honey, syrup, and vinegar together,
stirring constantly, until it forms a slightly
brittle ball when tested in cold water. Stir
in the butter. Pour the syrup slowly over
the popped corn and mix well. Form into
balls, pressing as lightly as possible.
Give the balls a festive appearance by
turning some into clowns, pussycats, pretty
girls, and many others of your own in-
vention.
The clown may boast a red lifesaver
nose, grin with a half lifesaver mouth, and
make a cone-shaped hat from gay Christ-
mas paper to perch jauntily over green gum-
drop eyes.
The pussycat's whiskers may be three red
full-length sippers, held at center with a life-
saver nose. Stick on neatly with popcorn
syrup, green gumdrops for the eyes. For
her ears, snip a sipper in half, bend each
piece in its middle, and stick on with syrup.
The pretty girl's demure face may be
made of gumdrops and life-savers, with a
perky hat made from a frilly lace paper
doilie cocked over one eye.
Turkish Lumps (Gumdrops)
3 cups sugar in Y CUP boiling water
4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin in Yl
cup cold water
1 large orange
1 large lemon
Bring syrup to a boil. Add soaked gela-
tin and boil twenty minutes, before taking
from heat; add juice from fruit. Divide into
two equal parts; to one part add red color-
ing and two tablespoons red cinnamon
candies; to the other part add green color-
ing and two drops of peppermint flavoring.
Strain into 8" x 8" cake pans to set; it re-
quires several hours. Cut into squares or
fancy shapes and roll in granulated sugar.
Stuffed Prunes
Steam prunes over water thirty minutes.
Cool and pit. Stuff with chopped candied
lemon and orange peel and walnut meats.
Roll in powdered sugar.
1
TRIBUTE
Rooks' Corner: I find your corner
^ so very helpful and interesting. I
should like to submit the following by
way of appreciation.
Scripture Puzzle Cake
cup of Judges 5:25
cups Jeremiah 6:20
cup of I Samuel 30: 12
cup of Genesis 24:17
1% cups of I Kings 4:22
\Yi teaspoons Exodus 32:20
Yi teaspoon Leviticus 2:13
to taste I Kings 10:10
3 Isaiah 10:14
Mix in order given; bake 350 to 375° F.;
cup cakes 15 min.; layer, 25 min.; loaf 45
to 60 min.
Very sincerely yours,
Jessie M. Beishline
(Answers found on page 77 S)
DECEMBER, 1943
#t^j|for the Holiday Menu!
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773
GOD MOVES
By O. F. URSENBACH M
"Touring the construction of the Weber
*-*^ and Davis counties' reservoir un-
der Perham Brothers and Parker, at the
East Canyon "Red Rocks" narrows,
because I was somewhat skilled with
explosives, I was made powder man,
and became known as "Bob" to replace
my long, three-syllable name. By reas-
on of unexplained premonition when
danger lurked, Pat Fehey, the foreman,
often referred to me as "Charmed Life
Bob."
On a slope fifty feet above a perpen-
dicular cliff, a gang of men were rolling
boulders from a previous blast, when
Pat shouted to them to halt while I
passed below carrying some giant pow-
der. As I advanced, some unseen yet
actual power literally jerked me back,
just in time to miss a huge boulder that,
had I advanced another step, would
have crushed me. Amazed at what had
transpired, I leaned against that natural
wall and wept in gratitude for divine
assistance at this perilous moment.
On the same works, spring had fol-
lowed a very severe winter, and at the
foot of a very high cliff I was thawing
frozen giant powder in an oil warmer.
Standing near were Hugh Perham, his
wife and some visitors. At once I
shouted: "Get out of here quickly." A
few moments later, a boulder crashed
a /nudtenoud Vua
Wa
V
from a hundred feet up, demolishing
the powder warmer, then bounded right
to where the group had been standing.
Mr. Perham marvelled at my intuition,
but to me it was another manifestation
of divine inspiration.
Still on the works, I had spent nearly
two days springing a twenty-two foot
hole that when loaded contained thirty
kegs of blasting powder. For such
heavy shots Pat and I frequently took
refuge in the powder magazine — a tun-
nel drilled twenty feet in a mountain
side, closed with a lumber door. I was
warned not to enter the magazine this
time, only to have Pat, in his vile pro-
fanity that characterized every sentence
he spoke, retort with: "Bob, we're as
safe there as if we were in God's pock-
et, for the shot is not pointed that way."
We took refuge under a cliff, and Pat
gasped as he saw a huge boulder crash
into that magazine. It destroyed many
kegs of blasting powder, but a ton of
giant powder stacked along the side-
walls was untouched.
I recall here one more experience on
the works. From a heavy blast the
evening previous, nine large boulders
lying on the north slope of the dam,
had been drilled and loaded for blasting
while the crew of nearly a hundred men
were at lunch. I ignited all nine fuses,
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774
then took refuge in the mouth of a spill-
way tunnel in course of boring. I
counted eight blasts only, so I concluded
that one of two things had happened,
either a miss or two blasts had simul-
taneously occurred. Peeking around
the corner of the cliff, I saw the huge
six-foot-high boulder with the fuse dis-
tinctly visible. For safety I returned
and waited perhaps ten minutes for fear
of a slow fuse still carrying fire. At
length, feeling that it was a miss, I ap-
proached the boulder. Then came the
explosion. I turned to run, (a foolish
thing to do under ordinary conditions)
when at once, and the last thing I re-
membered, was a tremendous thud be-
tween the shoulders that knocked me
down. When I came to, for I had been
stunned only, I was not hurt or even
sore from the ten pound stone that had
struck me. When the gang returned,
and I explained to Pat what had hap-
pened and how I had been providen-
tially saved, his retort was that he could
not understand my charmed
life. Well I realized, in gratitude, the
Power that had saved me.
At my wife's solicitation, I definitely
quit explosives.
While I was farm foreman of the
Knight Sugar Company's sugar farm in
Alberta, Canada, James E. Ellison, fac-
tory superintendent and general mana-
ger, and I had ridden horseback into a
field where I had some four-horse teams
harrowing grain stubble. Observing
that an inexperienced Belgian teamster
had his cross checks wrongly attached,
I asked him to hold the lines nrmly while
I passed in front of the two center
horses to adjust them. At once the
two outside horses — broncs — began
kicking and running, and I was caught
between the heads of four horses, with
my only recourse to make a lunge over
the coming four-horse evener— but, de-
tained in the lines, I failed, passing un-
der the evener, and to my horror I went
under the new sharp iron-toothed four-
section harrow. Following a short
dragging, I rolled out behind and, in a
cloud or dust, ran for my horse to stop
the run-away. I ran in the wrong di-
rection, which caused the horrified Mr.
Ellison to think that, while saved, I had
perhaps lost my reason. The exceed-
ingly marvelous thing is that I came
out without a bruise or scratch, which
to me is the most outstanding mani-
festation of divine protection that has
been mine to experience.
In my behalf, God has certainly
moved in a mysterious way his won-
ders to perform. Why have I been
protected in the many crises during the
years of my hazardous life? The solu-
tion, as it appears to me now, must be
that I had been foreordained, as the sole
survivor of my father's family, to a mis-
sion of responsibility and stewardship.
While there have been much dross
and alloy in my life, yet from the day
of our marriage, my wife and I resolved
unfailingly to have our morning and
evening prayer, and to live Latter-day
Saint lives as best we could.
(Concluded on opposite page)
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
HfiW* HUM
WHILE attending class in the army finance
school at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, In-
diana, the thought never occurred to me
that I would have the opportunity to teach
the gospel before the group of fellows in my
class. The occasion was the last afternoon
of our technical training course, during
which time we were allowed to entertain
ourselves as we desired. . . . Our teacher, a
fine young fellow whom we all liked and
respected very much, knew I had been a
Mormon missionary for two years, and many
of the class did, too. In fact, as a nickname,
some of them called me "preacher."
The afternoon was proceeding in quite a
pleasurable way as everyone contributed his
particular talent to the entertainment. Un-
fortunately many soldiers seem to enjoy
questionable jokes, and the fellows who
knew some of these stories told them before
the class. It was on such an occasion of
fun-making that I was asked to take my
part.
As I stepped upon the stand before the
class, one of the fellows suggested that I
tell them about my missionary work. That
is just what I hoped would happen! I told
them about our missionary system and also
several experiences. . . .
Their attentiveness and favorable reac-
tion to all I had said brought great joy to
my heart. The teacher came to me later
and remarked that many of the fellows do
not go to church at all, and what I had told
them was just what they needed.
If I had not been trying to apply the
teachings of the gospel to my life in the
army, the fellows would probably have
thought as I was talking to them, "He
doesn't live what he preaches; why should
we pay attention to him?"
Pfc. Keith M. Peterson
* * *
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
WE do not have a chapel in Hattiesburg,
but we hold our meetings in the home
of Sister Ida Norton about three miles from
town.
Our branch is small and sometimes we
do not have a leader until one of the boys
from the camp comes who holds the priest-
hood.
We are thankful Camp Shelby was chosen
for the training center for the L. D. S.
Japanese-Hawaiian soldiers. They lend
much interest to our meetings, and we think
it wonderful to hear them bear such strong
testimonies.
Pearl M. Thames
W
Holbrook, Arizona
E have organized as "Mothers of Boys
In the Service." We meet every Sun-
day evening at 6 p.m. We have our opening
song and prayer, the minutes of the last
meeting, and read also the letter to be sent
out next week.
One of the mothers is responsible for a
musical number each week, another respon-
sible for the letter. Each week every one
in attendance signs the letters. Those un-
able to be in attendance and care to send
excuses, have their names added.
Then we hold a prayer circle and the
spirit of our meetings is so inspirational.
They draw us so close together. Each week
36 letters go out.
Now the letters are coming back from our
boys and we have great cause to rejoice
in knowing the Lord is carrying our message
to them and theirs is as great to us.
Maybe this will give other wards and
mothers some ideas.
Best wishes for all our service boys and
girls.
Emaline Palmer
Ft. Sill, Oklahoma
THE concept of the endlessness of man as
an individual, progressing entity is the
greatest inducement to wholesome living
that I know of. It is our sure foundation.
Now I can appreciate why the parting
words of my father were almost identical
to those of Helaman to his son: "Remember,
remember, my son, that it is upon the Rock
of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of
God, that ye may build your foundation . . .
a sure foundation whereon if men build they
cannot fall."
It is plain now why the story of the
Prophet Joseph and the restoration of the
gospel was explained to me until I thought
it worn out. I perceive now why everything
in our home was done in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Perchance it was to en-
gender an implicit trust and faith in our
Lord; perchance to ennoble my future by
building a sure foundation.
Cpl. Rondo S. Harmon
* * *
Overseas
... If the time comes when I cannot
write you so often, please do not worry
about me. . . . We held church again today.
. . . My Eva came tonight so I'm now
reading it. By the way, we managed to get
the proper facilities and had the sacrament
today. You just can't imagine how it seems.
I guess it (religion) is the main thing we
are fighting for, isn't it? . . .
Pfc. Wells P. McGregor
The Lt. is glad to have a man so close
to God in his outfit, too. You can be proud
of him. Censor
GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY
(Concluded from opposite page)
Dispassionately and in no boasting
sense, we have, as a family, filled nine
foreign missions. All seven of our sons
hold the holy priesthood and are rep-
resented in stake presidencies, high
councils, bishopric, or other responsible
callings. All eight of our children's
marriages have been temple solemn-
ized, and we have done ordinance work
for more than one thousand of our de-
ceased ancestors.
When called upon to report my stew-
DECEMBER, 1943
ardship, be the time near or remote, my
deep gratitude to my Father in heaven
will be my first thought.
SCRIPTURE PUZZLE CAKE
(Answers to Puzzle found on page 773)
Yi cup butter 1 x/2 teaspoons powder
\]/2 cups sugar y2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins to taste: spices
^2 cup water 3 eggs
1% cups flour
WAR TESTS
MEN and MACHINES
. . . and war is proving
Stokermatic dependability,
despite the shortage of
service men.
With sons and husbands
in military service, and
whole families of home
front workers absent from
home night and day, a
Stokermatic is cm essential
worker in many homes.
Its month-after-month de-
pendability means fewer
interruptions of service in
these war days. And the
longer the war lasts, the
more you will appreciate
its dependability.
The
Stokermatic
Company
1415 South State St.
Salt Lake City, Utah
IPSE For OVER FIFTY YEARS
Aids in treatment of Canker, simple
sore throat, and other minor mouth
and throat irritations.
Hall's Canker Remedy
536 East 2nd So. — at Salt Lake City, Utah
Wherever They Go . . .
A marine overseas -wrote me the other
day and told me how much he appreci-
ated and welcomed the arrival of the
Lois Westover,
San Diego, Calif.
775
CONDUCTED BY THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE — JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH,
CHAIRMAN; JOHN A. WIDTSOE, JOSEPH F. MERRILL, CHARLES A. CALLIS, AND HAROLD B. LEE
(P&A&jmaL WsdfauisL
Rehabilitation a Special Work
Tn the church Welfare plan, one re-
*• sponsibility of priesthood quorums,
among many others, is to look to the
rehabilitation of quorum members and
their families, spiritually, socially, phys-
ically, and economically. In every quo-
rum there are members who need to be
built up in one or more of these fields.
The personal welfare committee un-
der the leadership of its chairman, the
quorum president, should make a study
of each member and his peculiar con-
ditions. Then the committee should in-
augurate and carry through activities
to build up individual quorum members
as their circumstances demand.
Steps should be taken to avoid being
lulled to sleep by the current attitude
that because most people are employed
all is well. We call to mind a Melchize-
dek priesthood quorum member who,
for the lack of half an acre of ground
and a few hundred dollars capital, is
most unhappy because he is not present-
ly self-sustaining. Would not a little
thought and interest given to the solu-
tion of this man's problem by his fellow
quorum members pay as worth-while
dividends as would any other object to
which that thought and interest could
be given?
Perhaps in your quorum the need for
rehabilitation is spiritual or social.
(fla&A. Qn/JjajudthyfL
Teacher Training
TJTow concerned are the instructors in
■*■ **• the various quorums with their
teaching technique, their methods? How
many know that there are excellent
helps available to them in the church? A
conscientious reading of John T. Wahl-
quist's Teaching As the Direction of
Activities or of Adam S. Bennion's
Principles of Teaching (both published
by the Sunday School) should give
priesthood class leaders new under-
standing of their role as teachers. And
along with that new vision they will
acquire some valuable teaching tools. A
series of articles, "Talks to Teachers,"
by Dr. Wahlquist currently appearing
in the Saturday church section of The
Deseret News, is worth the attention
of priesthood instructors.
Priesthood instructors could follow
with profit the teacher training material
which appears monthly in The In-
structor, the Sunday School magazine,
which is entirely devoted to the im-
provement of teaching in the field of re-
ligious education. The Instructor is
itself thus a teaching tool. Priesthood
teachers should make use of it. And,
should their schedule permit it, why not
776
attend the ward teacher training class,
which, although designed for pre-teach-
ing training, has much to offer teachers
already in service who have never had
such specific help. The Sunday School's
teacher training class is also the place
to send prospective priesthood teachers.
Teacher training should become the
long-range as well as the immediate
concern of the class instruction com-
mittee.
QhsihxJfL SsihvicsL
Work for Everyone
T^VERY quorum should aim to have all
• of its members perform some serv-
ice in the church. Loyalty to the quo-
rum implies a willingness to accept re-
sponsibility and to be engaged in the
work called for in the program of things
to be done. This program offers an
opportunity for spiritual growth and
development. It makes for a happy and
satisfying religious life.
Classification of quorum members on
the basis of fitness and availability for
service in the quorum, ward, and stake
is an obligation of the church service
committee. A careful study of the card
file of individual quorum members will
guide the committee in its efforts to
encourage activity. Every bearer of
the priesthood should receive attention
and be urged to assume his responsibil-
ity.
The quorum can become a power-
ful unit in the church if its members
are alert and active. The advancement
of God's work rests with the priesthood
and is carried forward by worthy mem-
bers who are qualified and ready to
act when the call comes. Regular meet-
ings of the committee are the first step
towards a better understanding of its
duties. "Moreover thou shalt provide
. . . able men, such as fear God, men
of truth, hating covetousness." (Exodus
18:21.)
Creative Forces
r^ A. Elwood in his book The Re-
^* construction of Religion states:
Play and amusement are most necessary
things in our social life. Upon them, not
less than upon serious work, the whole
structure of higher civilization has been
built. There is good reason to believe that
when we have mastered the creative forces
latent in play and amusements, education
will be easier, social life more joyful, and
civilization itself more humane and beauti-
ful. Social religion must seek to control
social pleasures so that they will work in
this socially constructive direction.
The work of the social and miscel-
laneous committee, in view of the im-
portance of recreation, should go be-
rp
yond party-planning. Invaluable serv-
ice can be rendered by promoting
worth-while leisure-time activities
among quorum members. Recreation in
the Home is the title of a booklet re-
cently published by the church auxil-
iaries. It is brimful of home-centered
leisure-time activity of a high order.
Committee members should become ac-
quainted with this booklet — as well as
with other recreation literature to be
obtained at the local library — and from
time to time in quorum meeting call
upon members for descriptions of
leisure -time pursuits and reports of suc-
cessful home entertainments which will
stimulate others to follow their example.
TboisA. $wwl ihsL JMcL
Point-Saving Projects of
266th Quorum of Seventy
he 266th quorum of seventy, resid-
ing in the Stratford Ward, High-
land Stake, reported in a recent stake
conference that during the summer they
had canned 11,469 cans of asparagus,
peas, corn, and beans, having a ration
point value of 195,030 points. Eight
hundred sixty-nine man hours of labor
were expended on the project. In ad-
dition the quorum members have spent
440 man hours on garden projects and
176 hours on miscellaneous Welfare
projects. Forty-five of a total quorum
membership of fifty-seven participated
in one or more of the above projects
in which a total of fifty-two families
were assisted.
Since the report was made more corn
and tomatoes have been canned. Quo-
rum members will repair a roof and re-
build a garage for the mother of a quo-
rum member in the service. Other
Welfare projects are being planned.
Keeping in Touch
"Crom a letter in which Sgt. Alma B.
*■ Rigby of the Army Air Corps ex-
presses appreciation for receiving the
Era in camp, the following paragraph is
quoted which may encourage quorums
to continue to keep in touch with their
members absent in the armed forces or
on defense work:
I heartily endorse the advice given to
keep in touch with absent brethren in our
armed forces. It is indeed a time when they
will appreciate that interest and be especial-
ly impressed by it. May I relate just one
incident that may interest you? I have been
attending the San Bernardino First Ward.
The bishop there has numerous times made
special mention of us as members of the
armed forces, even mentioning our names
before the congregation. That, in a way,
was a small thing, but it certainly went a
long way toward making me feel really
welcome.
I also appreciate the interest of my 'breth-
ren at home and their welcome letters.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
NO-LIQUOR-TOBACCO
COLUMN
Conducted by
Dr. Joseph F. Merrill
Yale University School
'"Phere was organized at Yale Univer-
■*■ sity the past summer a School of
Alcoholic Studies, the purpose of which
was to present for educational service
the developments of scientific research
and study relative to the influence of
alcoholic beverages on persons and
their social living.
This new summer course was at-
tended by college and high school edu-
cators, temperance workers, managers
of liquor control boards, public safety
and health experts, social workers, min-
isters, psychiatrists, public safety of-
ficials, temperance writers, representa-
tives of liquor agencies, and others. As
a school it lasted six weeks, and it is
said was strictly educational, objective,
and scientific in the study of most of
the liquor problems of the day.
But the most important approach to
the liquor problem — the religious — was
absent. In this respect the Latter-day
Saint church has a great advantage over
all other organizations that study the
liquor problem — that of divine revela-
tion. To the Prophet Joseph Smith the
Lord revealed the truth that liquor "is
not good" for man and it is not meet
in his sight that liquor should be drunk.
No right-thinking person wants to dis-
please the Lord. This fact is the most
potent of all to induce our people, young
or old, to be abstinent. However, we
hope the Yale school will have a bene-
ficent influence in the campaign for
temperance.
Kathleen Norris Says —
"For generations excessive drinking
by men has been the curse of helpless
womanhood and childhood, has been
the creator of want and slums, cruelty
and crime.
"For generations the struggles of
women to curb this curse have repre-
sented the one desperate effort of their
lives, the one fervent prayer of their
hearts. But now this curse is being ex-
tended to women — a bitter reflection
upon the code of character of American
women. Drink (also smoking) injures
women more than men in body, mind,
and soul. A woman is more fine-grained,
more delicate, more sensitive than a
man. Thus, her body is more vulnerable
to narcotics than a man's." The Lord
have mercy on the children of mothers
who smoke or drink.
Drinking and Driving
The National Safety Council finds
that the motor vehicle still stands un-
challenged as a killer in America. More
than 40,000 dead since Pearl Harbor is
the record sustaining the charge.
Judge Wilford Moyle Burton of Salt
Lake City Police Court attended meet-
ings of the Traffic Safety Council in
Chicago a few weeks ago. From what
he learned there he declared the
drunken driver is one of the worst
menaces confronting the American pub-
lic today.
The challenging question is how long
will the American public stand for this
menace. Should not state laws declare
that no one who drinks immediately be-
fore or during the time of driving shall
be eligible to drive? Why should we
longer tolerate this proved and indefen-
sible mortal danger?
Russian Soldiers — No Liquor
All the world admires the fighting
qualities of the Russian soldier — his
bravery, his endurance, his loyalty and
obedience. We could wish that Ameri-
can soldiers were as free from drink as
the following pictures his Russian com-
rade-in-arms :
In an address given in Arcadia, Florida,
Valentina Ray Mitz, a naturalized Ukrainian
lecturer, made this remarkable statement:
"In Russia, if a woman offers a soldier
liquor, she has to serve six months in prison.
If she gives it to him, she is shot. There
can be no drinking by the soldiers while the
war is on, for the men must be strong,
healthy, and fully possessed of every whit
of their strength and ability. This is quite a
contrast with what we have in America.
Our army camps are surrounded with hun-
dreds of saloons. The call is 'Wake up,
America!' "
Melchizedek Priesthood Outline of Study, February, 1944
Text: The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the
Writings and Discourses of John Taylor
LESSON 5
Eternalism, An Interpretation of Life
Text: pp. 10-13. Topics: The Vital Prob-
lems. Purpose in Life. The Belief in the
Pre-Existence. Woman's Place in the Pre-
Existence. Conditions of Earth Life.
Discuss: What are the vital problems of
life? Of what value is the "struggle for ex-
istence" for position, fame, honor? Should
one seek to better his position in life? For
what purpose or purposes? What is the
meaning of the phrase: "... this world is
the state of our probation"?
From President Taylor's article, "The
Origin and Destiny of Woman," what might
we conclude concerning the importance of
womanhood in the plan of this earth? In the
STALWART SONS
William J. Mackelprang of Kanab, Utah, needn't
worry about the carrying on of the family name. "I
am proud," he says, "to be the father of such a
group of young men that can serve our God and our
nation." Father Mackelprang, who filled a mission
to the Southern States from 1912 to 1915, is seen
here with his eight sons, as follows: front row, left
to right: Romel, Evan, Antone, Dow (deacon), and
William J. Jr.; rear left to right: Kent (teacher),
Justin J. (teacher, and staff sergeant in the Marine
Corps, now attending Loyola University), Brother
Mackelprang, and Gayneld (now filling a mission in
Canada). The mother of the boys, Hazel Mackel-
prang, served missions to the Central States and
California.
DECEMBER, 1943
family and home? In the church and church
government? In society? The use of the
phrase "having obtained permission" (pp.
11 and 12) would seem to indicate that not
everyone received, as a matter of course,
the blessings accorded womankind in the
pre-existence. Are the blessings hypothe-
cated by President Taylor attractive?
LESSON 6
Eternalism and Earth Life
Text: pp. 13-16. Topics: The Doctrine
of Eternalism. Earth Life — One Stage of
Existence. God's Interest in Earth Life.
Some Principles of Earth Life. Nature and
Belief in God.
Discuss: Two men are in business. One
accepts the doctrine of eternalism. One ac-
cepts the belief that this life is the end of
existence, denies pre-existence or life after
death. Is there any justification for expect-
ing different conduct from the two? In the
experience of your group can the idea that
a difference will result be demonstrated and
verified? What difference does it make, and
is the difference important, or do we merely
assume it is?
From the experience represented in your
study group, what evidences can be brought
forward to sustain the affirmation that this
life is but "one stage of existence"? What
are our beliefs concerning God's interest in
this stage of existence? What evidences are
there to demonstrate this interest? On page
15 will be found the basic Latter-day Saint
statement that knowledge and testimony
come from obedience (Journal of Discourses
25:94-95). If this is so, what is the differ-
ence between a testimony of the work of
God and a testimony of evil and its work?
Why is the harmony of nature suggestive of
the validity of belief in God? Is there har-
mony in nature? How might it have been
produced, assuming the case, were there no
Supreme Being — what can the human mind
fathom on such a score? If this problem is
tried, the grandeur and depth of John
Taylor's conclusion (last sentence, JD 1:
151, 152) will be understood.
(Concluded on page 778)
777
MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD
(Concluded from page 777)
LESSON 7
Some Problems of Eternity
Text: pp. 16-19. Topics: Eternal Conflict.
The Role of Experience. Eternal Marriage.
Law and Justice. Laws and Kingdoms of
Glory. Conformity. The Essential Equality
of Men.
Discuss: Why should there be antagonism
to truth and what elements of human be-
havior produce such antagonism? Why
should experience in "being governed" be
prerequisite to competence in governing
others? What was Christ's experience in
this regard?
What is a basic requirement for entrance
into the kingdom of God? What is the
significance of the doctrine of conformity
with respect to life in the celestial and
other kingdoms of glory? Is it possible to
"be strictly in accordance with the . . . law
of God ... in everything that we do"? What
does it mean to abide the law of the celestial
kingdom? What of the "role of experience"
in this regard? (In this connection review
the discussion held in connection with the
question in lesson 5, "This world is the
state of our probation.")
LESSON 8
Some Problems of Eternity:
Death and Resurrection
Text: pp. 20-25. Topics: Death and Res-
urrection. "It Is Appointed for Men Once to
Die." A Soliloquy on Death. Funeral
Customs. Priesthood and the Future State.
Nature of the Resurrection. Eternal Judg-
ment.
Discuss: Do the Latter-day Saints fear
death? Why or why not? What was Presi-
dent Taylor's testimony on this score?
What might well be the proper subject for
speakers at funeral services? (See p. 21.)
What is the Mormon doctrine concerning
priesthood and the future state? What was
Joseph Smith's personal belief regarding the
nature of the resurrection?
What is the role of the individual in the
process of eternal judgment?
Summarize the main features of the doc-
trine of eternalism. What should the ef-
fects of accepting this philosophy be for the
individual? For a society of believers? Are
there any evidences of such social effects?
In your ward? stake? valley? region?
THE CHURCH MOVES ON
(Continued from page 767)
Missionaries Released
T'he following honor roll includes
those released during September
and October, 1943, and others not pre-
viously reported:
September
California: Lloyd Vaughn Peterson, Salt Lake
City; Gordon Hyde Purser, Preston, Idaho; Grant
J. Fisher, Rexburg, Idaho; Verna Mae Sanders,
Wilmington, No. Carolina; Hugh J. Sorenson, Salt
Lake City; Dean Crook Bruce, Smoot, Wyoming.
Central: Charlotte Vilate Martin, Tooele, Utah;
Jesse William Davidson, Salt Lake City.
Eastern: Grant Lester Anderson, Garland, Utah;
Dee Heaton Barker, Salt Lake City; Robert Freder-
ick Dynes, Salt Lake City.
Japanese: William Charles Blair, Salt Lake City.
Mexican: Henry Wesley Bowman, Colonia Nu-
bian, Chihuahua, Mexico; Oscar Leath Cluff, Col-
onia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; Mac Bluth, Colonia
Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico; Clyde Allred, Colonia
Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico; Alma Dayer LeBaron,
Jr., Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; Rowene Rob-
inson, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico; Milton
Alvin Romney, Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico;
Raul Rangel Ruiz, Corpus Christi, Texas; Ernest
Piatt Taylor, Safford, Arizona; Rey Rolla Thayne,
Farmington, New Mexico; Miss Ada Whetten, Col-
onia Juarez, Mexico.
New England: Alvin C. Lamoreaux, Chandler,
Arizona; Marvin Dee Smith, Thornton, Idaho.
North Central: Reid Elwood Bankhead, Logan,
Utah; Julian C. Hall, St. George, Utah.
Northern: Daniel Carl Ballstaedt, Brighton, Utah;
Frances Jo Wadsworth, Panaca, Nevada; Norma
Voloy Andreasen, Cleveland, Idaho; Marie Engel
Duehlmeier, Salt Lake City; Fay Bosshardt, Red-
mond, Utah; Elwin Harry Anderson, Pocatello, Ida-
bo. ,
Northern California: Donna Tanner, Payson, Utah.
Southern: Alton Louise Kunzler, Rosette, Utah;
William P. Whitaker (mission president), Pocatello,
Idaho; Mary Hawley Whitaker (wife of mission
president), Pocatello, Idaho; Paul Robert Cheesman,
San Diego, California; Eugene Douglas Dana,
Phoenix, Arizona; Norma Dredge, Malad, Idaho;
Verna Bohi, Rexburg. Idaho; Lowell M. Bleazard,
Tooele, Utah.
Spanish-American: Frank B. Fox, Salt Lake City;
Clarence G. Teerlink, Salt Lake City; Raymond Jun-
ior West, Salt Lake City; Harold E. Weise, Ogden,
Utah; Arnold Lynn Green, Salt Lake City; Lillian
Lee, Tooele, Utah; William F. Andra, Jr., Preston,
Idaho.
Texas: Phoebe LaPreal Sanders. San Francisco.
California; Floyd Martin Carlson, Long Beach,
California.
Western: Rachel Agens Beutler, Salt Lake City;
MISSIONARIES LEAVING FOR THE
FIELD, SEPTEMBER 29, 30, 1943
Front row, left to right: Miriam
Royle, Idella White, Doris E. Brian, Don
B. Colton (mission home director), Lu-
cille Glover, Alice Egbert, Alice Mae An-
derson.
Second row: Ralph T. Mitchell, Sarah
0. Mitchell, Merlin N. Cook, Catherine
Holley, Murene Wood, Joseph S. Pearce,
Ruth Sloan, Helen Bay.
Third row: Harold W. Dance, Oneta J.
Hansen, William E. Bet-rett (instructor),
Shirley A. Syphus.
John George Cannon, Salt Lake City; Merritt Daryl
Neibaur, Newdale, Idaho; Margaret Peirce, Spring-
ville, Utah; June Vincent, Los Angeles, California;
Alexis B. Malan. Ogden, Utah; Elfreda A. Malan,
Ogden, Utah.
Western Canadian: LaVar Henry Barker, North
Ogden, Utah; Stuart M. Manookin, Salt Lake City.
OCTOBER
Brazilian: , Kenneth Rulon Ross, Garland, Utah;
Willard B. Call, Brigham City, Utah; Moses Carl
Gibson, Las Vegas, Nevada; Rulon B. Haacke, Woods
Cross, Utah; Paul Lewis Harmon, Provo, Utah; Jay
Byron Hunt, Salina, Utah; Sargent Grant Rice, Glenns
Ferry, Idaho; LeGrande C. Silver, Salt Lake City;
Gerald P. Werrett, Salt Lake City.
California: Elmer Joseph Niederhauser, Logan,
Utah; R. LaMar Sainsbury, Salt Lake City; Ardell
Washburn, Farmington, New Mexico; Emily Mary
Shurtliff, Ogden, Utah; Charles Bernard Schlerf. Boise,
Idaho.
Canadian: Marion Lee Anderson, Idaho Falls,
Idaho; Robert Arthur Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexi-
co; Vergil Charles Fewkes, Long Beach, California;
Raymond Ernest Foulger, Salt Lake City; Junius W.
Gibbons, Phoenix, Arizona; Rex Andrus Ottley, Elba,
Idaho; Albert Lorenzo Payne, Duncan, Arizona;
Howard Joseph Thayne, Salt Lake City.
Central: Abraham Neerings, Salt Lake City; James
Richard Palmer, Grantsville, Utah; George Leland
Sevy, Richfield, Utah; Paul Alberto Toronto, Salt
Lake City.
Eastern: Everett L. Hodges, St. Anthony, Idaho;
Margaret Helen Ottley. Magna, Utah; Rex E. Phelps,
Mesa, Arizona; Harold Alma Tate, Thatcher, Arizona;
Spencer William Toone, Paul, Idaho.
Hawaiian: Avard William Booth, Salt Lake City.
New England: Arthur Donald Browne, San Jose.
California.
North Central: Lewis Warren Shurtliff, Oakland,
California; William Eldon Sutton, San Diego, Cali-
fornia; Rex Kay Thompson, Clarkston, Utah; Perry
Elmer Manwaring, Roosevelt, Utah.
Northern: Lena Gertsch, Salt Lake City; Joel N.
Gillespie, Tooele, Utah; Merline Grange, Price, Utah;
Iris Heaton, Cedar City, Utah; H. Kenneth Homer,
Van Nuys, California; Boyd E. Williams, Blackfoot,
Idaho; Ivaloo Zollinger, Providence, Utah.
Northwestern: Robert Fredrick Anderson, Mesa,
Arizona; Alta Lorraine Nielson, Salt Lake City;
Charles Brian O'Neil, Kaysville, Utah; Ord L. Shum-
way, Phoenix, Arizona; Bobby K. Taylor. Kirtland,
New Mexico; Alma Jacob Pate, Midvale, Utah.
Southern: Ruth Alleen Olson, Midvale, Utah; Idella
Wood, Driggs, Idaho.
Spanish-American: Nelson Harden Bennion, Salt
Lake City; Wallace Robert Elkins, Salt Lake City;
Warren Derald Fewkes, Nampa, Idaho; Frank Wilmer
Jackson, Oakland, California. Arthur Lynn Lundgren,
Monroe, Utah.
Western: Henry Homer Bartholomew, Fayette,
Utah; Walter Raymond West, Jr., Idaho, Falls, Idaho.
(Concluded on page 799)
MISSIONARIES LEAVING FOR THE FIELD OCTOBER 27, 28, 1943
First row left to right: Drucilla Fenn, Inez George, Maxine Hall, Adele Harris, Don B. Colton (home
director), Hilm'a Tanner, Elaine Ellsworth, Evelyn Knowles Almina Carter .
Second row: Franklin T. Nelson, Etta J. Nelson, Alice L Watts, Violet S. Gray, Eloise Coon, Jesse L
Mortensen, Thelma Wagner, Elaine Bluth, Orpha Laudie. „.,'„,, ., . . ' ,. . _ -.„„„„
Third row: H Fred Bushman, Katherine D. Ross, Gerald F. Ross, Stephen A. Simmons, Manuel S. Torres,
Alene Farnsworth, James D. Rawson, Thomas R. Cope, Ida H. Rogers, S. R. Rogers, William E. Berrett (instructor).
Fourth row: Roy C. Andreason, William F. Butler, C. H. Pearce, John W. Porter, Arno Bochme, David L.
Stone, Harry E. Anderson, John W. Stoddard.
778
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
CONDUCTED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PRESIDING BISHOPRIC. EDITED BY LEE A. PALMER.
cLJDJudtpL Sp&akA-
ROBERT
F.
REED
"Dobert is president of the deacon's
"■^ quorum in Glendale West Ward,
San Fernando Stake. In a recent ad-
dress he specified five ways in which a
deacon may honor the priesthood:
"I believe I would list first a clean
mind. All the things that we do are
first conceived in the mind. God says,
'I will not hold him guiltless that taketh
my name in vain.' Also, clean moral
thoughts; and the best way I know to
obtain these is continuous, humble
prayer.
"Second: A clean, strong body, ob-
tained by obedience to the laws of the
'Word of Wisdom.'
"Third: We can also honor the
priesthood by a study of the scriptures;
especially the Doctrine and Covenants
scriptures, which teaches us our duties
in the priesthood.
"Fourth: By honoring those who
preside over us, in always being willing
and ready to do everything that is re-
quired of us.
"Fifth: By regular attendance at our
quorum meetings, and thus preparing
ourselves for promotion in the priest-
hood.
"God says in the Doctrine and Cove-
nants, section 136, verses 19 and 20:
'If any man shall seek to build up him-
self, and seeketh not my counsel, he
shall have no power, and his folly shall
be made manifest.
" 'Seek ye; and keep all your pledges
one with another; and covet not that
which is thy brother's.' "
WARD BOY LEADERSHIP
COMMITTEE OUTLINE OF STUDY
JANUARY, 1944
Text: HOW TO WIN BOYS
Chapter XIII: The Average Boy
Quotations from the Text:
1. Some years ago we listened to Dr.
Payson Smith, commissioner of edu-
cation of Massachusetts. He said (I
quote verbatim, for the words stuck in
my memory) : "There is no average
boy. If there is, what color are his
eyes? Or his hair? How long is his
nose? What does he eat? What does
he like? What are his home conditions?
Who are his companions? What is his
hobby?"
2. "There is no mass technique in handling
boys and girls."
3. Boys are not alike. Brothers are not
alike. Twins ate not alike. All of
which leads us to some sane and brief
conclusions. There is no religious
herding. You can herd cattle and
horses. You can never herd souls.
Each boy is an individual. His quali-
ties may tally with the boy next to
him to the point that we are deceived
into imagining that the selfsame ap-
proach, the same method, the same il-
lustration, the same warning, the same
punishment, the same reward will work
for both. This is not true.
4. You are wanted as teacher and leader
in a field made famous by Jesus of
Nazareth. He knew each disciple! He
knew the impulsive Peter; he knew the
warm, tender heart of John; he knew
the financial ability of Matthew; he
knew the doubting heart of Thomas.
To him they were blundering little
children. And so great was his human
sympathy and understanding of each
one of them that even in the Garden
of Agony when they deserted him, his
severest criticism was a patient com-
ment— "Could you not watch one
hour with me?" The King of heaven
so thoroughly read that little "class" of
his that his patience and tenderness
is a byword of the nations even today!
5. The Maker has not made carbon
copies of boys' souls!
(Concluded on page 780)
SOUTH LOS ANGELES STAKE AND WARD AARONIC PRIESTHOOD LEADERS PUN PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST
Karl H. Miller, chairman of the South Los Angeles Stake Aaronic priesthood committee, writes the following account of an unusual project:
"On August 7, 1943, the South Los Angeles Stake Aaronic priesthood committee, together with the general secretaries and a member of the bishopric from each ward, met
in an all-day session in the lounge at the stake house to perfect plants for an extensive stake Aaronic priesthood public speaking contest.
"The main purpose of the contest is to have each boy in the priesthood give at least one five-minute talk in a sacrament meeting, also to give them assistance in an organized
method. This will not only increase their attendance at sacrament meeting but should also help to hold up our attendance at the weekly priesthood meeting.
"We have divided our stake into two divisions, with five wards on the east and five wards on ttie west side of our stake. Our plans are to have boys of the respective
wards exchange talks with each ward, thus giving the boys an opportunity to speak in different wards of the stake.
"We have asked each ward to provide suitable awards for the winners of their own wards. Also each ward will have its own elimination contest. The winners from each
ward meeting in semi-finals, with the winners thereof meeting in stake finals. We are planning on furnishing trophies for the finals, with a grand prize for the best ten-minute
talk on liquor and tobacco." •
Leaders in the above photograph are: back row, left to right: Harold Tolman, Arthur White, Robert Singleton, J. A. P. Jensen, Henry Goldsmith, Don Pearce; Noble
Waite, of the stake presidency; Owen B. Robinson, superintendent of stake Y.M.M.I.A.; Karl Miller, chairman of stake Aaronic priesthood committee; Howard Sedgwick, stake
secretary; Alvin E. Duncombe, Richard Henderson, Don Montgomery, Arthur Hamblin, G. E. Crandall, Robert Halch, Reo Ellsworth.
Front row: Lin D. Miller, Oren Hunter, Clifford Jones, Hal Sperry, Garth Green, Jack Lee, Lambert Gerber, Howard Fife, Bill George, William G. Stevenson, Jesse Wardle.
DECEMBER, 1943
779
CONDUCTED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PRESIDING BISHOPRIC. EDITED BY LEE A. PALMER.
Aaronic Priesthood
(Concluded from page 779)
6. Each boy in front of me is capable of
some sort of leadership. I must do a
little prying, if it means I entertain him
in my home or hint strongly enough
and become a guest in his. I must
know his folks. I must know him
through what he likes, his hobby, his
own personal reactions to politics or
athletics, or citizenship or school or
religion and a half dozen other themes.
I owe it to this boy to read his life
chart made up of likes and dislikes, of
moods and phobias and longings. Yes,
I must pry into his dreams without his
even suspecting it.
7. Do you know the methods of the
gardener? He does not herd plants or
blooms. Each one is a matter of per-
sonal attention. Some plants have
pretty bad habits. Some respond to
sun and water and artificial forms of
cultivations. But each plant is per-
fected. Each gets individual care. Each
is nourished. Each is watched for
flaws. How much more, how times
more precious are the boys in front
of you who must sometime yield fruit
— fruit of service and kindness and
neighborliness and performance of
duty!
Helps for the class leader:
1 . Stress the importance of studying each
individual boy.
2. Have the class assist you in suggest-
ing at least ten ways in which a teach-
er may learn to understand the individ-
ual pupil, such as a long walk together,
etc.
Ancient Prophets
(Concluded from page 751 )
as one who understands "the science of
government." Isaiah understood gov-
ernment in all its meaning and scope,
and he had that insight into political
life which constituted statesmanship.
Yet he was no less a prophet. He looked
at the problems of his nation from a
religious viewpoint, and his messages
from God to his people are among the
most epochal of prophetic history. He
had a sublimity of imagination, and not
only makes one see the truth, but he
glorifies it in all his writings.
His political policy alone has chal-
lenged the thought of some of the great-
est writers on political science. He
taught that justice lies at the root of all
good government.
Justice shall rule the hearts of the people,
the spirit of mercy shall be the ideal of the
children, and reverence, which is the recog-
nition of the voice of God, shall be the
guiding principle of all men. . . . We have
a strong city; salvation will God appoint
for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates,
that the righteous nations, which keepeth
the truth shall enter in.
780
WARD TEACHERS
The teacher's duty is to watch oyer the church always, and be with and
strengthen them;
And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with
each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking;
And see thai the church meet together often, and also see that all the
members do their duty. (D. & C. 20:53-55.)
lAJam UeackeH ffleaaae for /4anuam} 1944
"AS WE FORGIVE"
Jesus taught us to ask our Father in heaven to forgive us "as we forgive."
This indicates that unforgiving souls are unworthy to be forgiven. And
if we, even the best of us, be not forgiven, what chance have we for exalta-
tion?
Our attitude toward the weaknesses of our fellow men, therefore,
becomes a great factor in determining our own status hereafter. Only the
forgiven soul can be exalted, since all have sinned. Only the soul who
forgives will be fully forgiven.
Strange that any of us should permit "the thoughtless sentence or the
fancied slight, to destroy long years of friendship and estrange us." Strange
that men who would obtain mercy, could become unmerciful; who appre-
ciate kindness, could become unkind; who have need for forgiveness, could
refuse to forgive.
How unchristianlike to "gather false impressions, and hug them closer
as the years go by, till virtues often seem to us transgressions." What
cruelty is the issue of the unforgiving heart.
Jesus gave us the perfect example of the principle of forgiveness. None
were made more happy than those who received his assurance that their
sins were forgiven them. Even when lifted upon the cross, he prayed,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
It is safe to assume that nothing Jesus did brought him more joy than
to forgive his fellow men. He gave his very life that Adam's transgression
may be forgiven and that we be spared the consequences thereof.
Let us each look back over his own life and recall the time when he has
forgiven someone. Has any other joy been more gratifying? Has any other
feeling been more uplifting? The destructive feelings of smallness, pettiness,
and hate, or longing for revenge, are crowded out by the attitude to forgive.
"Forgiveness is better than revenge; for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle
nature, but revenge the sign of a savage nature."
How many times shall we forgive? Jesus answered Peter and said, "I
say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven." The
implication is that we shall never tire of forgiving one another if we would
be approved.
If this were the judgment day, how many of us could say, "Father, I
could ask nothing more than that I be treated as I have treated my fellow
men — that I be forgiven as I have forgiven them"?
Let us so live that we may be forgiven "as we forgive."
Here is a prophecy which forecasts
the time when the world will recognize
the conscience of nations. The idea
itself, according to William Jewett
Tucker, is a working principle and is
being slowly evolved under the condi-
tions of modern civilization. The con-
ception of the state as a moral person
is not new. The Old Testament has
many statements to this effect. Greek
philosophy taught that the "end of the
state is not only to live, but to live
nobly." The old Puritans believed Mil-
ton when he wrote that a "nation ought
to be but one great Christian personage,
one mighty growth or stature of an
honest man, as big and compact in vir-
tue as in body."
Even in times of distress, Isaiah ad-
monished Judah to take advantage of
its isolation and to trust in God's pur-
pose and character rather than in poli-
tical intrigue and expediency for safety.
Isaiah's whole being was illuminated by
a sublime faith in the true and living
God, and a knowledge of the coming
of him, the Messiah, who would redeem
the world and vouchsafe unto every liv-
ing soul, salvation in God's kingdom
through obedience to the laws of God.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Vk
9 WARD MUSIC GUILD
THE FUNCTIONS OF AN
ORGANIST
Third Guild Meeting: December
By Dr. Frank W. Asper
Tabernacle Organist and Member,
Church Music Committee
'T'he organist has three functions to
* perform in the church service: first,
the solos on the organ, consisting of
prelude, postlude, and sacramental mu-
sic; second, the accompaniments to the
choir; and third, the accompaniments to
congregational singing.
Let us consider this organ solo music.
It should be planned and selected so
that it may help every individual to an
attitude of reverence, humility, and
worship. The organist must try, so far
as is in his power, to make his prelude
worthy of being listened to. It is pos-
sible for the organist to disturb the
serenity of worship by selections that
may be ill-chosen. No number should
be used that has secular connotations,
such as operatic melodies or love songs.
Sacramental music must surely be sa-
cred. When hymns are used as organ
music, it is best to play slowly, softly,
and with an occasional change in reg-
istration. The postlude may be played
fairly loud, though not necessarily with
full organ. It may well be short.
The importance of an organist as ac-
companist to the choir is seldom realized
except by the director and the organist
himself. Of all the qualifications that go
to the making of an indispensable or-
ganist, the ability to read and play flu-
ently at first sight is the most important.
Those who wish to improve their sight-
reading abilities should devote a few
minutes each day to the playing of un-
familiar material. Such material should
be well within his technical grasp. No
matter how slowly it may need to be
played, the tempo should be kept even.
It is only a matter of practice until one
can read music as easily as a book or a
newspaper.
In general, accompaniments should be
softer than the voices. For this reason
it is sometimes erroneously thought that
the organ should never be heard above
the choir. When the organ part is writ-
ten independent of the voice parts, the
PROGRESS OF THE GUILD
By Alexander Schreiner
Tabernacle Organist and Member,
Church Music Committee
This is the third in a series of six
articles concerning the work of
the ward music guild. This work, as
before stated, is under the direction
of the ward music chairman, who is
a member of the ward bishopric.
Reports from various sections of
the church indicate that the ward mu-
sic guild program is having a very
satisfactory success. If it will con-
tinue to stimulate our church musi-
cians toward more inspiring music for
our worshiping assemblies, we shall
indeed be pleased.
We may be sure that not any of
us are perfect in the music which we
offer on the Lord's day. If we strive
toward the improvement of our weak
efforts, our music, now humble, may
some day become strong and mighty.
organ is equal in importance with the
choir part, being a sort of organ and
choir duet. On the other hand, when the
instrument plays the same notes as are
sung by the voices, then the accompani-
ment should be used only to support the
voices.
To accompany hymn-singing well is
a fine art. The sounds of the organ
should reflect the general sentiment of
the hymn. The organ tone must be kept
light enough so the people can hear
themselves, and at the same time strong
enough so that they feel some support
for their voices. Too many changes in
registration should not be indulged in.
Hymns should be announced by the or-
gan in the tempo in which they are ex-
pected to be sung. The organist should
strive, together with the director, to
maintain that tempo. But neither or-
ganist nor director should ask for an
increase in tempo, once it is set. To do
so is distracting to those who sing to
worship.
Questions for Consideration
1. Is the organist receiving due courtesy
and attention from the choir members and
director at the time of the prelude? See
July Era, p. 429.
2. In small wards and branches where
pianos are now being used, are plans now
under way toward the purchase of a reed
organ? See October Era, p. 622.
3. Have we purged ourselves from the
use of music which is foreign to the spirit
of worship? Are we guilty of playing love
music or operatic melodies?
4. Are our organists as regular, prompt,
and dependable in their duties as is the
bishop of the ward?
5. Does each organist know that church
music is like drink to a thirsty soul, and that
he will "in nowise lose his reward"? See
Matthew 10:42.
6. How can choristers and organists co-
operate with respect to tempos, dynamics,
and mutual understandings?
7. Let four organists be assigned to pre-
pare and present at an organ examples of
effective prelude, postlude, and sacramental
music.
8. Announcement. The subject for treat-
ment at the fourth meeting will be "What is
the Matter with Choral Singing?" Look for
the article on this subject to appear on this
music page in the January Era. Both or-
ganists and choristers should be prepared
to discuss their opinions together.
9. Bibliography to be consulted : The Or-
ganist's Manual, by Tracy Y. Cannon; Or-
gan Voluntaries, by Alexander Schreiner;
Devotional Organ Album, by Frank W.
Asper.
. ♦ ■
Lakeview Ward Choir
""Phe accompanying photograph shows
■*■ a large choir from a small ward.
Lakeview Ward, Tooele Stake, with a
ward population of one hundred ninety,
has a choir of some forty-four singers.
Let this be an encouraging example to
the timid soul who feels that his ward is
too small to afford a choir. Twenty-
three percent of the ward population in
the choir is indeed a splendid record.
This choir has sung for stake confer-
ences, ward conferences, missionary
farewells, and funeral services in its
own as well as in other wards. These
singers report that they especially enjoy
singing from the green hymn book. Eacn
month they carefully learn and perform
for the congregation the recommended
hymn of the month.
Each member is made to feel that he
is a vital part of the organization. When
this choir felt that it wanted new choir
seats, the members merely dug into their
pockets, and contributed sufficiently to
pay for them.
The personnel is as follows : Dewey
A. Whipple, bishop; Donna S. Dixon,
director; Eva S. Shields and Martina D.
Duffin, organists; Jesse W. Duffin, man-
ager.— Alexander Schreiner.
LAKEVIEW
WARD
CHOIR
DECEMBER, 1943
THE WEISS FAMILY TREE
By Karl Weiss
7V s one tangible result of the present
** churchwide endeavor to check
family pedigrees and ascertain wheth-
er all temple work possible has been
done, Karl Weiss recently brought to
the genealogical library a unique
"Weiss Family Tree," covering the
years 1622-1943. He writes the ac-
companying explanation.
For enquire, I pray thee, of the former
age, and prepare thyself to the search of
their fathers: (For we are but of yester-
day ) (Job 8:8-9.)
OQR Weiss Family Tree begins
with Johan Weiss, living in 1620,
who married a wife named Eva,
and shows the names and relationship
to him of 898 descendants. Large fam-
ilies of from ten to fifteen children are
found in every generation. There were
no divorces. My father, Henry Weiss,
came from a family of fifteen children;
his father was one among ten children;
his wife was from a family of nine chil-
dren. I am the father of ten.
Old-fashioned homes they built,
thrifty and happy. Patiently and loving-
ly did they devote their lives to toil and
service. Their aim was not pride and
ostentation and the gratification of
selfish desires, but to fulfil a high con-
ception of duty and to obey the laws of
God. They were firm believers in the
democracy and the altruism of Christ.
On this family tree we have an un-
broken line of ten generations. The
oldest ancestor emigrated in 1620 from
Silesia to Bavaria. Members of the
tenth generation, our family emigrated
from Bavaria to Utah in 1923. Between
these two migrations are three hundred
years of eventful family history, faith-
promoting and inspiring. The earliest
ancestor, named at the root of the tree,
because of his religious convictions was
persecuted and driven, and in the midst
of the Thirty Years' War proved him-
self a stalwart supporter to the founders
of Protestantism in the free city of
Nurnberg (Nuremberg). Here the
famous peace treaty, the Truce of
Nurnberg, was drawn up, at the end of
this terrible religious war. Branches of
the family took root in the city of
Neustadt and a dozen surrounding vil-
lages; and descendants became pioneers
in tilling the soil and turning the wheels
of industry. They distinguished them-
selves by their skill and thoroughness
as stonemasons and architects, sculptors
and painters. Early in the eighteenth
century some of this posterity migrated
to London, and were settled by Queen
Anne's government on the shores of the
Hudson in New York State, in what is
known as the Palatine emigration; a
number later moved to Pennsylvania.
In each generation they lived, worked,
782
laughed, and wept; they struggled, suc-
ceeded, and failed; and they left their
children and children's children to carry
on in their stead. To us this family tree
is a symbol inspiring each descendant
to live worthily and produce ever richer
and finer fruits. Ours is the responsi-
bility to make a survey and appraisal of
the human stock from which we have
come, and seek to improve our pedigree
through ourselves and our descendants.
Plutarch says: "It is indeed a desirable
thing to be well descended, but the glory
belongs to our ancestors."
It is our satisfaction to know that for
all the families of this tree the temple
work has been done completely, and all
are linked together in a chain of life.
Group by group we have checked over
the names to make sure that no one has
been omitted, and that saving ordi-
nances have been administered for all.
verts to the church, are diligent researchers.
Having themselves experienced many dis-
couragements and having overcome them
by earnest and prolonged effort, it is the
conviction of every class member that
"Sacrifice brings forth blessings." — From a
report by Jean T, Hardy
Mutual Message
Work at Great Falls
Sixteen members of the Great Falls, Mon-
tana, Branch genealogical class recent-
ly spent two and a half days at the Cardston
Temple. They performed seventy-one bap-
tisms, forty endowments, 137 sealings, and
nine received their patriarchal blessings.
The group furnished their own names
and were able to supply names for others
also.
There was a severe drouth in the country
and a special prayer for rain was offered.
Answer the following day was witnessed
with gratitude for the goodness of the Lord.
The majority of the class members, con-
THE
WEISS
FAMILY
TREE,
1622-1943
An
unusual
pedigree
representation,
whose story
is recounted
in the
accompanying
article
(Concluded from page 762)
"I believe they would. You know,
the only reason so many people play
cards is that outside the relish they have
for gambling they don't use their im-
agination. As you said, the evening is
all arranged for them. I can't speak for
the women, but I bet I could sell the
idea to some of the men around here
that I've met."
"Shall I try to sell it to the women?"
Mary asked with more enthusiasm than
she had shown since the conversation
began.
"No," Charles replied. "Let's sneak
up on them. We'll invite them to the
house and show them a good time. Give
them some of that black currant juice
you put up and anything else you want,
but end up with some of your glorious
lemon pie. Their resistance will be
pretty weak after that. When I start in,
you'd better not be too much on my
side. It's good sometimes to have a con-
federate in the other camp. You might
raise objections even. When I answer
them, the others may be convinced, too.
Let's see if we can't make a fine Special
Interest group in this ward that will be
a credit to the Mutual. They call it
SP-IN-GRO. What say, Sweet?"
"Okay by me, dear."
-:• At',
on
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
(Continued from page 755)
garet], E[dith] & I crawl under a wag-
on, the rest get in, 6c. — trav. 8 ms.
Friday, August 20. Last night Br.
Love & J[ohn] Dillworth who went for
the cattle return'd — said they went 10
ms. beyond [Fort] Laramie — -found
them in possession of the French to
whom they were sold by the Ind[ians].
They were oblig'd to give one pair to
get the rest. Stop'd at [Fort] Laramie
overnight, where they were hospitably
treated & drove from there the next
day — When about 1 x/i m [ile] s from the
Camp, the cattle broke & ran for our
herd, where they were found this
mor[ning]. Capt. P[eirce] gets an ox
of Br. Love to pair with the odd one &
we go on in our usual style. The road
is up & down hill — high peaks to be
seen at the right & left — showers fall-
ing on them & we sometimes get
sprinkl'd. Recent rains cause the way
to be rather muddy. We encfamp] on
a brisk little stream with a range of
bluffs on the left — I take a walk along
the sides & scare up a mighty large
rabbit. Sup'd with fath[er] &moth[er]
Chase on rabbit pot-pie. Trav. 12 ms.
Saturday, August 21. We start very
late. J[oseph] Y[oung], B[righam H.J
Y[oung], [Jedediah M.] Grant's &
[Jos. B.] Noble's teams in front — we
had not gone far when to the general
joy [J. M.] Grant, [Levi] Riter & an-
other, who went back to meet them with
the stray cattle came up after recruit-
ing their strength with a repast which
was left on a post at our last night en-
campment. Our road was round about
between bluffs & over hills — the sides
of the Bluffs and for a distance the road
were nearly the color of well burnt
PIONEER DIARY
brick — sometimes the red of the bluffs
being strip'd with nearly a chalk color,
the little green shrubs & herbage give it
a romantic appearance. We stop'd on
a stream at noon — pass'd over sever-
al]— trav. till nine at night. This mor.
I heard that sis. Love sat up & comb'd
her hair. This is truly a manifestation
of the power of God. Trav. 17 ms.
Sunday, August 22. Very late when
we start — then we wait a long while
for something to be adjusted— we see
the front of the Com[pany] forming
a ring on the top of a hill, at about
half past one. Capt. P[eirce] stops on
the stream below. Capt. L[athrop]
proposes going three ms. farther — they
yoke up or rather hitch up — ascend the
hill after swallowing a hasty dinner —
Capt. G[rant] & others meet [Capt.]
Lathrop who is in front & object to the
move — after much talk they drive back
& form in the ring — a meeting is called
for adjusting matters. Capt. G[rant]
saying he was willing for us to travel
in 10's or otherwise, but wanted an
understanding, [to] have it done by the
general voice. Some new arrangements
for herding were made & liberty giv'n
for any 10 to start when ready without
regard to the upper authorities, 6c, &c.
Call on Sis. Love — she is quite smart.
Trav. 8 ms.
Monday, August 23. This mor. Sis.
PTeirce] broil'd some bufHalo] meat
which Capt. [Josiah] M [filer] kill'd
yes [terday] , but it seem'd to have been
the father of all buffalos & uneatable.
We start at 8 with Capt. N[oble]
in front and Prest. [John] Y[oung] &
Capt. Y. [or Z?] in the rear. In about
3 ms. cross a stream — come onto the
Platte in about 8 ms., which seems like
meeting an old friend — find an inscrip-
tion "90 ms. to Ft. Johns" [John]6— go
2 ms., cross Deer Creek, bait [feed] &
dine — a dish of tea is very acceptable —
The day clear- — the road pretty smooth,
but very hilly & barren. A windy thun-
derstorm before night. Trav. 15 ms.
Tuesday, August 24. Prest. [John]
Y[oung] Bfrigham H.] Y[oung] &
Capt. [Jed. M.] Grant take the lead —
before noon br. Love breaks a wagon.
We encamp about 1 o'clock — they go
back for the wagon, &c. Br. Baker kills
a buffalo — The road not bad — on our
left, far in the distance, a ridge or
mountain rises in majesty behind the
ranges of smaller bluffs between, hav-
ing the appearance of dense blue clouds.
A shower of hail & rain adds variety to
the afternoon scenery. Trav. 8 ms.
Wednesday, August 25. The Camp
moves out in the mor[ning], leaving
Capt. P[eirce] & Capt. M [filer] in
waiting for the wagon maker & the
broken wagon. We start between 1 1 &
12. The weather cold — the road smooth,
but deep ravines, pass a board saying
110 m[ile]s from Ft. Johns — pass a fer-
ry where the inscription says 8 ms. to
another. Pass another way-mark, 120
ms. from Ft. Johns [Laramie]. Encamp-
ed— sun an hour high — do not reach the
Camp. The cloud-capped bluffs on our
left look dreary on a cold day. Trav. 14
or 15 ms.
(To be continued)
BFort Laramie, first called Fort William, was named
for William Sublette, who with Robert Campbell
established the fort in 1834. These men hoped to
control the Indian trade between the Missouri River
and the Black Hills. A year later it was bought by
James Bridger and others who rebuilt the fort at a
cost of $10,000. At this time it was also known as
Fort John, however, it became better known as Fort
Laramie, the name of the river on which it is situated,
a tributary to the Platte.
THE RELIGIOUS GAP IN COLLEGE
(Continued from page 760)
. . . we are led to state that one of the
main reasons why students appear to be
less influenced by religion during the transi-
tion period is that the contacts they have
had with religion in the precollege period
have not been of the nature that readily
fits in with their enlarging knowledge of
the universe and its interpretation in more
or less scientific terms.
There is real danger for the child who
is too soon directed into the vocational
subjects with the mistaken idea that he
is preparing himself for a "job." The
famous Regents Inquiry of New York
found that the so-called practical sub-
jects often turned out to be the most
unpractical. Homer P. Rainey, director
of American Youth Commission, says
in Youth Tell Their Story :
Since the vast majority of youth cannot
get jobs until after eighteen years of age,
and since the vast majority of them can be
trained for their specific jobs in short-term
courses, it is clear that the high school
period is going to be free for training of a
more general character.
The adolescent needs a chance to de-
velop his mind-sets and attitudes, for
DECEMBER, 1943
what they are will determine what he is
to be as a Christian citizen. Knowledge
alone will not suffice. There must be
a developed imagination. As Richard
Kroner said in his Bedell Lectures
at Kenyon College, "... for thought
is only a fragment of the mind,
whereas imagination embraces the
totality of our existence." And for Dr.
Kroner, the part played by one's im-
agination is most vital in his behavior.
In truth, he says :
The trend of his imagination indicates
the nature of a person, the height of his
moral standards, the very worth of his
character, the level of his spirit. A pure
heart is proved in a pure imagination, a
sublime mind in sublime images.
When we are shocked by the mortal-
ity list disclosed by noting the number
of youth in Sunday school and noting
those in the following church services,
we might begin to suspect the cause.
Again, when we note the relatively
small number of young people who be-
come active church members, as com-
pared with the number who are in Sun-
day School, we might pay some heed.
It is rather futile to condemn higher
educational institutions for their poor
showing in religious development until
we do something about the material
which we send to those institutions.
Nor should one attempt the unprovable
claim that colleges and universities al-
ways stress religious development as
much as they should. In order to keep
religion out, some schools are willing to
shut God out, too. As a consequence,
we get students in our history and liter-
ature classes learning for the first time
what Christianity has meant to civiliza-
tion, while they are being denied the
privilege of studying the history of
Christianity.
The "gap in religious life," then,
seems to be in the first place something
to be expected from adolescents. They
show a changed attitude whether they
are subjected to college life or not.
Doubtless environment plays an im-
portant part, but the particular person-
ality involved plays a part also in the
manner in which it responds to that
environment. (Concluded on page 784)
783
&—
WINTER QUARTER
Begins January Fourth
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niuerslh
•
Prepare far a world that
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Courses are available in all
thirty-eight departments
of study.
Laboratory equipment and li-
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Personal
assistance and guidance are
provided by a highly trained
faculty.
The usual rich spiritual and
cultural program is pre-
served, even in wartime.
YOU will find happiness and
development at
"THE FRIENDLY SCHOOL"
For your copy of the catalogue write:
The President
BHIGHAM YOUNG
UNIVERSITY
PROVO, UTAH
ROMANCE <W
PIONEER LORE
at tkeli beat"
b&rP&OL BAILBY
THE BOOKCRArT CO.
P. O. Box 63. Salt Lake City. Utah
Please s.end the books checked above
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NAME
(ADDRESS
THE RELIGIOUS GAP IN COLLEGE
{Concluded from page 783)
In the second place, more depends
upon what the student is when he en-
ters college than upon what the col-
lege does for him, apart from what he
is. His reactions to the environment
are largely predetermined. What he
has been at home, in his own school,
and in his own church will shape his
responses to the new life he is called on
to lead. For that reason, school, home,
and church are more significant reli-
giously to the prospective college stu-
dent than is the college he selects.
BAPTISTE, SON OF BIRD WOMAN
( Continued from page 757)
come the first-class guide and inter-
preter.
When he was eleven he was met by
Hugh Monroe with the Mandan peo-
ples. To this traveling white man Saca-
jawea told her life story- — her exciting
journey across the mountain with the
Lewis and Clark explorers, and her
earlier capture by the Minetarees. To
his sorrow, Monroe saw Charbonneau
gamble away the horses which had been
given to young Baptiste. Years after-
ward, Monroe was to meet Baptiste
again when he had become a fine up-
standing man who spoke English and
French very well and served as inter-
preter for Jim Bridger at his fort on
Green River.
When Baptiste was eighteen he met
the twenty-five-year-old adventurer
from Germany, Prince Paul, who was
delighted with the unusual boy who had
an Indian mother, a French-Canadian
trapper father, and who spoke French
with scarcely an accent. It was Prince
Paul, avid seeker of knowledge, who
eagerly awaited General Clark's ap-
proval of the boy's journey to Europe.
And now, on this October day in
1823, Baptiste stood in Clark's color-
ful council room that looked down upon
the yellow spotted Mississippi. Eager
for new adventures across the sea, Bap-
tiste awaited the word of this man who
was dearer to him than was his own
father. Though Clark was a busy per-
son, he put aside everything to help
Baptiste prepare for the life ahead.
\I7ithin a week after visiting William
* " Clark, Prince Paul and Baptiste
found passage on the steamboat Cin-
cinnati, which was taking a heavy cargo
of lead to New Orleans. With the
blessings of General Clark, and good
wishes from a host of friends, the trav-
elers left St. Louis November 3, 1823.
The prince had in his baggage many
fine natural specimens which he had
gathered in the wilds of America. He
was anxious to make the hazardous
home voyage without mishap.
Because of low water, the heavily-
laden boat ran on shallows several times,
but luckily it was freed again. Then a
strong northwest wind arose, driving
snowflakes before it. The air became
painfully cold. All passengers took to
shelter. Suddenly there was a terrific
impact. The Cincinnati had run upon
a snag, on one of those dangerous tree
trunks lodged in the river bed. The
bottom of the ship was pierced through
and through.
784
"She's sinking!" came the terrified
words.
Before the Cincinnati sank, however,
the crew managed to get all passengers
and most of their belongings safely on
shore, though everything was drenched.
For a month, impatiently the travelers
waited at St. Genevieve for another
down-river boat. Finally the steamboat
Mandan was put in readiness to pick
up the ill-fated passengers. On Decem-
ber 5 they were again slowly feeling
their way toward New Orleans.
Through dark nights and shallow wa-
ters they crept. They passed banks of
beautiful cypress, covered with Spanish
moss. In the region of magnolias and
palms, a spring-like air dispelled the ice
of winter. On December 19 they
reached the chief city of Louisiana —
New Orleans.
Five days later they boarded the brig
Smyrna for the overseas journey. But
the winds were not right. For two
weeks the three-masted vessel drifted
about on the Mississippi, or lay at
anchor where mosquitoes swarmed and
alligators nosed above the waters. At
last, news came that the wind was fa-
vorable, and that the Smyrna would be
piloted out to sea.
But when she reached that part of
the channel where the salt water and the
river mix, strong counter-currents
formed heaps of silt and earth to en-
danger the navigation. Freed of that
hazard, at last the Smyrna struck the
gulf waters and quickly left the coast
behind. To Baptiste, this was indeed a
strange new world.
By January 10 they were in sight of
Cuba. The weather was favorable.
Gloriously day by day the sun rose and
set, illuminating the horizon with a won-
derful red glow. Above the mirror
waves, flying fish and seagulls played.
The last of the month, a hard west
wind blowing, they met the chill of the
banks of Newfoundland with the mer-
cury fourteen below. Though thunder
shook the sails and lightning speared
the sky, with mast creaking and rigging
whistling, the brig rode the liquid moun-
tain of the deep. On ... on ... .
Safely she cut through the fogs of the
English Channel, passed the lighthouses
of France, and slipped into Havre de
Grace on the fourteenth of February —
three and one-half months after depar-
ture from St. Louis.
"Dor the next six years Baptiste did
■*- not see his native land. He lived
with Prince Paul in a fine castle at Stutt-
gart and studied the languages which
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BAPTISTE, SON OF BIRD WOMAN
later marked Baptiste as the expert
linguist. He visited the interesting spots
of France, homeland of his father's peo-
ple; also of England, Germany, and
Africa. He carried with him the culture
of his strange race, and absorbed the
Old World learning. Prince Paul wrote
a book in 1828 telling of his American
journey and the finding of his Indian
friend in the western wilds. This was
subsequently published. Later he pre-
pared another book manuscript telling
of later experiences of the two young
men, but through the years it has been
lost. Consequently, the interesting de-
tails of the adventures of Baptiste while
traveling in Europe can only be im-
agined. For many years a painting,
"Prince Paul and His Indian Boy,"
hung in one of the school buildings in
Germany.
In 1829 Prince Paul made another
journey to America. Baptiste, who was
now a cultured young man twenty-four
years old, returned with him. Again the
Prince obtained, through General Clark,
who was still superintendent of Indian
affairs of the west, a passport to visit
and study the interior Indian country.
The polished Baptiste obtained em-
ployment with the American Fur Com-
pany. Soon he was living the outdoor
life of the fur man, the life which his
forefathers had lived. He trapped the
cunning beaver in the wooded mountain
streams. Prime pelts he garnered to be
sent across the ocean to make fine bea-
ver hats for the nobles he had amused
when in Europe. He ate the simple food
of the mountaineer, broiled venison
steaks and beaver tails over the coals of
his camp fire. Riding a horse and leading
his pack mule he traveled the Rockies
from New Mexico to Oregon. By night
around the glowing coals he listened
delighted to the tall tales of seasoned
mountaineers, and in his clever manner
spiced the trapper talk with wonderful
stories of overseas adventure.
At summer rendezvous, when trappers
from all over the West met at some
appointed mountain valley to barter
with traders from the States and with
Indians from their various hunting
grounds, Baptiste responded to the col-
orful gathering. With abandon he
joined in the horse-racing, dancing,
gambling, wrestling, or story-telling that
enlivened those annual carnivals of the
early West. And when the year's har-
vest of furs was ready for freighting to
St. Louis, often Baptiste made the trip
down to the fur emporium. Doubtless
he celebrated with old acquaintances in
the familiar city, or visited with his ag-
ing guardian, Clark, who until his death
in 1838, continued as Indian superin-
tendent of the West.
"Dor fifteen years Baptiste traveled the
■ western trails practicing the arts of
the mountain men. In 1830 he was serv-
ing with the western department of the
American Fur Company under the lead-
ership of Joseph Robidoux. Once, for
eleven days, he wandered alone, lost in
DECEMBER, 1943
the wilds, drinking water from a beaver
skin he had filled; and finally made his
hungry way to Cache Valley and on to
Ogden's Hole where the fur men spent
the winter. In 1832 he was a trapper
working for Jim Bridger and Thomas
Fitzpatrick, partners in the Rocky
Mountain Fur Company.
In 1 839 he was one of the two hunters
hired by the Vasquez-Sublette party
freighting trade goods to the mountains.
Five weeks' travel brought the mule-
drawn wagons to Vasquez Fort on the
South Platte, forty miles north of pres-
ent Denver. Two days later, Baptiste
proceeded to Brown's Hole on the
Green River in northeastern Utah,
where he ran onto his old friend, Kit
Carson. The two men had begun their
mountain experiences in the same year
—1830.
In the spring of 1840 Baptiste, with
six companions, took a mackinaw boat-
load of buffalo robes down the South
Platte River and on to St. Louis. This
was one of the few successful voyages
down the shallow island-studded
stream. In the summer of 1842, again
he was carrying furs down the Platte
in a flat-bottomed mackinaw to market
at St. Louis; but because of low water
he was stranded on an island which he
facetiously named St. Helena. As he
waited for the stream to rise above the
troublesome sandbars, he camped under
the big cottonwoods. Through the te-
dious summer, travelers came his way.
"Welcome to St. Helena," he suavely
said to John C. Fremont, the pathfinder,
who was on his first westward journey
of exploration.
"St. Helena?" Fremont and his men
wondered if they heard aright, and
studied their maps.
"Exiled like the great Napoleon, here
we wait," explained Baptiste. "But rest
you. We'll fix a mint julep to cool your
throats." And with mint from the river
bank he concocted a true western thirst
quencher.
Shortly after Fremont's visit, the
traveler and writer, Rufus Sage, was
welcomed to "St. Helena." He, too,
went away bearing a delightful memory
of the soft-voiced trapper host who had
a classic education, a quaint humor, and
a fund of travel lore.
'HThe next year (1843) Baptiste served
as guide and cart-driver for Sir
William Drummond Stewart, a promi-
nent nobleman from England who had
gathered up a great party at St. Louis
and had come west to hunt buffalo.
Among the eighty-five sportsmen were
the son and the nephew of General Wil-
liam Clark, Baptiste's old guardian.
Though the good general had been dead
some five years now, Baptiste was
elated to see the young boys and to
teach them the arts of the buffalo hunt.
It had been thirty-eight years now
since Sacajawea, with Baptiste upon her
back, had led the redhead captain west-
(Concluded on page 786)
ENJOY INEXPENSIVE
PRIZE-WINNING
ORANGE MARMALADE
It's Easy To Make Anytime
With This Simple Recipe
6 Medium Sized Oranges
(2 lbs. Sliced)
6 Cups Water
^2 Cup Lemon Juice
(About 6 lemons)
1 Package M.C.P. Pectin
9H Level Cups Sugar
(Measured ready for use)
1. Cut oranges in cartwheels with very
sharp knife to make slices thin as possi-
ble. Discard the large flat peel ends.
Sliced fruit should weigh 2 pounds.
2. Put sliced fruit in 8-quart kettle. Add
the water and lemon juice.
3. Bring to a quick boil; boil gently for
1 hour (uncovered). If peel is not ten-
der in 1 hour, boil until tender.
4. Measure the cooked material. Due to
boiling, the volume will be reduced be-
low 7 cups. Add water to make total
peel and juice exactly 7 cups.
5. Put back in kettle. Stir in M.C.P. Pectin;
continue stirring and bring to a full boil.
6. Add sugar (previously measured). Stir
gently until it has reached a full rolling
boil, and BOIL EXACTLY 4 MIN-
UTES. Remove from fire; skim and stir
by turns for 5 minutes.
7. Pour into jars. If you use pint or quart
jars, seal hot and invert jars on lids un-
til Marmalade begins to set. Then, shake
well and set jars upright. This keeps the
peel evenly distributed throughout.
NOTE : This recipe works equally well
with Navel Oranges or Valencias. When
either variety is over-ripe and peel is
soft, use %-cup Lemon Juice instead
of %-cup. (Be sure to discard any
seeds.) This recipe makes 7 pounds of
prize-winning Orange Marmalade.
Subscriptions to
Soldiers Overseas
To conserve cargo space lor vital -war
materials, the post office requires that
NEW gift subscriptions (this does not
apply to renewals) for army personnel
overseas be entered only if the soldiers
have requested the magazine. Simply
note on your order that the soldier has
made such a request, if you -wish to
send him a new gift subscription at any
of the following addresses:
A.P.O. c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
A.P.O. c/o Postmaster, San Francisco,
Calif.
A.P.O. c/o Postmaster, Seattle, Wash.
A.P.O. c/o Postmaster, New Orleans,
La.
A.F.O. c/o Postmaster, Miami, Fla.
A.P.O. c/o Postmaster, Presque Isle,
Me.
This post office ruling applies only to
army personnel overseas — not to navy,
marine corps, or coast guard.
785
BAPTISTE, SON OF BIRD WOMAN
{Concluded from page 785)
'ward. And now Clark's dream of Bap-
tiste as interpreter and guide had come
true.
Clad in buckskin, straight black hair
falling about his shoulders, clever
tongue conversing with Frenchman,
German, Spaniard, American, or any of
the numerous Indian breeds, Baptiste
the guide was an arresting figure. In
1844 and '45 he served as hunter for
Bent's Fort on the Arkansas, and daily
brought in buffalo, antelope, or deer to
feed the motley gathering in the trading
post. Here, too, he brushed shoulders
with important travelers of the West
who paused for refreshment at this way
station on the mountain branch of the
Santa Fe Trail.
"The best man on foot on the plains
or in the Rocky Mountains is Baptiste
Charbonneau," wrote William Boggs,
son of the governor of Missouri, after
he had lived with Baptiste at the fort.
And that was the verdict of many;
though some thought the same of Kit
Carson, Jim Bridger, and Thomas Fitz-
patrick.
"\T7hen the Mexican War broke, and
"* Colonel St. George Cooke led his
Mormon Battalion from Santa Fe to
San Diego, California, Baptiste Char-
bonneau was one of the guides to pilot
the army on the long, hard journey. A
trip of any nature over this country with
its troublesome arroyos, mountains, and
long waterless stretches, would be dif-
ficult to make. But on Cooke's Battalion
rested the obligation to take wagons
across the whole uncharted way. On
that undertaking might hang the success
of the conquest of California,
Before they could cross the Colorado
River at its mouth, the Battalion must
cut a seven-hundred-mile road through
thorny mesquite-covered table lands;
cross sandy deserts with watering places
days apart; ford creeks with quick-sand
bottoms; and struggle over passless change, Baptiste went home to his moth-
mountains, er's Indian people and married a Sho-
In double file the half-clad men shone girl. There he could help his In-
tramped ahead of the wagons, clearing dian people toward an understanding
a way for the creaking wheels. They of the white man's road of life. For a
slashed the spiked cactus and yucca, time he settled in the Bridger Valley,
rolled boulders from the course, laid then moved to the Shoshone Reserva-
brush on the heavy sands of arroyos. tion in Wyoming where his mother,
Up steep mountains the wagons toiled; Sacajawea, was spending her last days.
down steep mountains the wagons were His active years of travel and adventure
steadied by ropes. Through rocky de- but made him happier in the new-found
files, where a road could not be had, the peace of the family tepee where he set-
impossible wagons were knocked apart tied contentedly to the uneventful life
and were carried piece by piece. of the reservation.
But this Battalion of half-naked, half- But often in the hush of evening, with
fed Mormon boys, living on wild ani-
mals, slaking thirst from alkali pools or
improvised wells, finally struggled
through to San Diego. Baptiste the
guide had piloted an army westward
from Santa Fe to the Pacific Ocean, and
had brought the wagons, too. The road
left behind was to become an overland
highway.
As the weary but exultant Baptiste
looked out upon the ocean, his heart
turned to the redhead captain who, for-
ty years before, had broken trail
his children, grandchildren, and friends
about him, his soft voice told strange
tales of his youth. Dark eyes widened
with wonder as he pictured ocean jour-
neys in great houses on the waters.
Faces looked incredulous when he told
of strange people across the ocean who
wore not moccasins, but wooden shoes.
Wooden shoes! So unbelievable did this
picture seem to the soft-treading In-
dians, they came to speak of Baptiste
as the Wooden-ShoeWhite-Man.
In the later councils and arguments of
through an unmapped land and looked the Shoshones, Baptiste took little part
triumphant on this same Pacific, from
the mouth of the Columbia River. Bap-
tiste wished that his old guardian could
have seen the expert mountaineering of
Baptiste the guide along this south-
west trail, for he knew that Clark's hand
would give benediction, his lips speak dining years away.
Let the young men have their say and
do the petty governing. He had his
dreams and his memories. As age came
upon him, more and more he kept to
himself. In a lone lodge, somewhat apart
from his fellows, he dreamed his de-
approval. As the half-breed's black
eyes studied the distant horizon, riding
the organ swell of the deep, came the
voice of William Clark. It spoke of
dreams fulfilled in this courageous
Baptiste Charbonneau, "best man on
When he died in 1885, a year after
the passing of his famous old mother,
his body, bearing Sacajawea's Jefferson
medal, was taken to the hills and low-
ered between two cliffs.
One night, as if the Earth Mother
foot in the plains or the Rocky Moun- yearned to hold her son forever against
tains." her heart, millions of tons of shale
avalanched down the mountain side and
Years passed. The West became an deeply buried Baptiste and his medal.
A open book. When the land was oc- There today in the wilds of Wyoming
cupied by settlers, the need for guide hills sleeps Baptiste, son of Bird Wom-
and interpreter disappeared. With that an.
GLORY IS OF THE SPIRIT
{Continued from page 761)
the story of the crossing and the victory
that followed. The twins listened
breathlessly.
"Is Daddy a general?" Billy asked.
"No, dear."
"Is he a pusher?" Betty demanded.
"I think he might be called one."
"I'm going to be a general when I
grow up."
"I'm not. I am going to be a pusher."
Billy was through with that story. His
agile mind went quickly to another.
Fran told them the story of the first
Christmas, but she told it badly. She
was listening for the telephone. Mr.
Haddon, the real estate agent, was
calling about the farm. She wanted the
twins to be in bed by then. She didn't
want to answer their questions tonight.
Not that it mattered particularly.
Chirstmas eve was no different from
any other evening.
786
JLhis hour of the evening had
once been the high spot of their day.
Before the fire, telling stories to children,
talking over the morrow's work to-
gether, that was the way they had
planned it. For Fran to be alone with
the farm and the children had had no
part in their dreams. Neither had this
numbing aloneness, this unreal waiting
that would never end. Desperately she
looked about for something to break the
treadmill of her thoughts. The news-
paper lay on the radio where she had
flung it. She looked again at the pic-
ture monopolizing the front page. Bob
Dunn in flying togs. He had left before
Clay. There hadn't been that look in
his eyes then. Bob had never been seri-
ous. Over the picture was the caption,
"Hero Given Posthumous Decora-
tion."
Bob had died in the same battle as
Clayton; but Clayton had — just died.
One of many. His fall had been un-
named and unmarked. There was a
picture, too, of Lois, Bob's wife, re-
ceiving the medal. It and its presenta-
tion would help in a small way to fill
the void left by his going. It would be
a story to tell Bobby. Something to hold
to when memory would not be denied.
Crushing the paper in her hand, she
threw it in the fire. Rising, she went to
the window. It was a good night to be
inside. Over the radio a baritone was
singing "Silent Night."
Why the mockery of Christmas?
Where in all the world tonight was
there a hint of Christmas spirit? Long
ago a mother had watched her son die
to bring peace to a troubled world.
Now, mothers' sons were dying the
world over for the same thing. After
two thousand years the world was still
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Glory Is of the Spirit
in chaos. Of what use then was their
sacrifice?
"What do you see?" Billy crowded
between her and the window.
"Emptiness. Just emptiness."
"I can't see any." He raised his face
and she saw the trouble in his eyes.
"Mommie, why can't Daddy come
home for Christmas?"
"Daddy is too far away." She pushed
the words over the thickness in her
throat. Sometime soon she must tell
them.
"When I am a general, I am going
to have Kings-X for Christmas so all
the daddies can go home."
"I am going to be a pusher." Betty
had brought their pajamas so they
could undress by the fire. "You can t
get home 'less I push."
"I am going to be a general," Billy
screamed.
"I am going to be a pusher." Betty's
voice, like her father's, was always
unruffled.
"Shall we hang the stockings?" Fran
asked quickly. This would go on all
night.
Immediately they forgot their differ-
ences in the joy of hanging their stock-
ings, and later, having said their pray-
ers, the children went to bed.
XT ROM out on the road came
the jingling of sleigh bells. They stopped
before the gate and happy, youthful
voices singing "The First Noel" set
her heartstrings aquiver. Stubbornly
she refused to acknowledge the cour-
tesy.
The caroling ceased. The sound of
bells receded, then stopped at Nels.'
Again the sound went on and was lost
in the distance. Curious, she went to
the window. The light was still shining.
Stubborn old coot. Still clinging to
symbols. She jerked the blind down.
Grandfather Downing had brought
Old Nels Olsen and his wife from the
old country. Only he had been young
Nels then. The first year he had met
with an accident. For a long time he
had hovered between life and death, yet
he had outlived his wife and son, and
Grandfather and Father Downing. He
was in his late eighties yet lived alone
in the two-roomed cottage the Down-
ings had built for him on a corner of
their land.
While a ward of the family, he made
but one concession to their desire to
help. At Christmas time he would ac-
cept gifts. In fact, he was quite auto-
cratic about his receiving. Every Christ-
mas Eve he put his lamp in the window,
and there it stayed until every Downing
had laid his or her gift at his feet.
Someone was telling of Bob Dunn
over the air. His townspeople were
making much of his glory. And rightly
so. Clayton had just died.
"Darling," her anguished heart cried.
"It is so unfair to you. You deserved
so much."
( Concluded on page 788 )
DECEMBER, 1943
VIRGIN WOOL
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a blanket in which we have put all our
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PORTLAND WOOLEN MILLS
PORTLAND, 01ECOH
787
GLORY IS OF THE SPIRIT
(Concluded from page 787)
Into the stillness of. the room the
telephone shrilled. At last this bridge
would be burned.
"Mrs. Downing? Haddon speaking.
I would have called sooner but got tied
up. You have decided, have you? I
think I told you I want the place for a
Christmas present for my son. He wants
to try his hand at farming. I'll run out
and give you a check to — "
"No. No, don't," she cried, panic
rising unaccountably in her. "I'll dis-
cuss it with you tomorrow." She hung
up in sudden distaste. Try his hand at
farming!
She turned off the lights and filled
stockings by the flicker from the fire-
place. A rush of warmth went over her
in thankfulness to Donna for doing the
shopping. To have failed the twins
would have been tragic. Children
needed symbols. Old men didn't.
Every move was an agony of remem-
brance. As she rehung the stockings,
she shivered with cold. The tempera-
ture must have dropped. Restlessly she
went to the window again and raised
the blind. The soft darkness of the
room made the world outside more
vivid by contrast. Against her will she
looked across the field. Still burning!
Abruptly Fran went to a closet for
her wraps. Everyone conspired to keep
her remembering. Even Old Nels. She
must find something for him. Perhaps
then she could sleep.
Hanging on a high hook was a sweat-
er. A warm, warm sweater of wool.
Clayton had hung it there himself. Nels
had always liked it.
At its touch a pain that was the es-
sence of all the misery in the world went
through her. She held it against her
cheek, but none of its warmth crept into
her flesh. She began shivering. Hastily,
then, she reached for her coat.
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Borden Company 771
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Continental Oil Company 795
Daynes Music Co 793
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Durkee Famous Foods 743
Fels-Naptha Soap Company 748
General Insurance Company of
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Glade Candy Company 746
Globe Grain & Milling Company.. 791
Hall's Canker Remedy.- 775
Hotel Utah 742
Junket — Rennet Powder & Rennet
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Loma Linda Food Products 789
M.C.P. Orange Marmalade 785
Maid O'Barley 773
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Sego Milk Company 745
Standard Brands of California 773
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LT his door she stopped to
get her breath before knocking. The
wind lifted her skirt and numbed her
legs above her overshoes. At his faint
"Come in," she turned the knob. Creak-
ing with frost the door swung back. She
slipped through and closed it quickly.
The room was only faintly warm and
was lighted only by the lamp in the
window. The old man was sitting in a
low rocker before his small cookstove.
His feet rested on the oven door. A
wool shawl covered his wide shoulders
and was held in place by one large-
knuckled, emaciated hand. Old Nels
had been an enormous man in his day.
The flesh was gone, the bones were
stooped, but his spirit was unconquered.
He turned his head slowly to face her.
"You are up late, Uncle Nels."
The old man rose and hobbled to the
window. Fetching the lamp he placed
it on the table. That done, he returned
to his chair.
Fran laid the sweater on the table.
Her fingers clung to it. Suddenly she
wanted to talk. To make him see that
life had changed.
"Why did you wait?" she demanded.
"You know Clayton is gone. Why go
through the motions of Christmas when
there is no Christmas?"
"It is a good sweater. T'ank you," he
said placidly.
"Did you hear me?" She beat her
fists on the table. "Christmas is gone.
Clayton is gone. He was young and
strong — "
The old shoulders made a piteous at-
tempt at straightening. She remembered
Old Nels had been younger than Clay-
ton when he had been reduced to this
husk of a man. Then her voice rose in
argument. "It was all wrong. He
shouldn't have gone."
"Duty is never wrong."
"But he had his family."
"So much the better. You are not
alone."
"It was so — so useless, Uncle Nels.
To — to just die when he — oh, look what
Bob Dunn did. He left something by
his going." There, it was out. She
breathed with relief.
The points of fire that were his eyes
788
burned with startling intensity. His
shoulders under the shawl shook with
anger.
"So, it is jealousy — not grief."
Fran's anger matched his. She drew
her coat about her and jerked open the
door. Quickly, unheedingly, she stepped
onto the icy path. Her feet went from
under her and she sat down — hard. For
an instant she just sat, too stunned and
numb to move. Then feeling came into
one hand and her thighs with the sting
of a thousand needles. It was hard to
rise. She tried to laugh, but the sound
was a hollow croak. She reached the
gate and leaned against it for support.
JTi. FEW straggling clouds
were coming up from the west. Sur-
rounding them the sky was deeply blue.
A light, below the clouds, was moving
swiftly from west to east. Head up-
tilted, she watched, forgetting her ach-
ing limbs, the keen bite of the cold. Hope
fluttered to sudden life.
"It's coming this way. It's coming
this way. Could it be — possible — "
With both hands she grasped a cold
picket of the gate.
The light swept nearer, dropping
lower and lower. It was going to stop.
It was. There had been a mistake, A
ghastly, horrible mistake. He had come
back.
Above her the light seemed to poise.
Her hands tightened and she heard the
picket snap. As though the sound were
a signal, the plane rose slowly. She
cried aloud, trying to hold it, to bring it
back. It could not go on. But it did.
Soon she could see it no more.
"Clay! Clay! Come back."
The white silent night gave back no
answer. It waited, expectant. Then
that something within her grew bigger
and stronger until it burst, and she
wept.
Cold, creeping through her veins,
brought self-control. She felt better.
There was an answer here if she could
find it. Her glance fastened on an-
other star more vivid than the others.
Had Mary remembered the Bethle-
hem Star the night of the crucifixion?
Or had she resented the ignominy of
his being hung between thieves!
"What am I thinking?" she cried
aloud, and the words were her answer.
She came out of her nightmare, and
peace was in her heart. Perhaps Nels
had been right.
In all ages, in all conflicts, there were
those who had gone as Clayton had
gone, shattered and broken where no
man could mark the spot — where no
wife could lay a wreath. Yet, though
they died unnamed and unsung, they
were no less immortal than the heroes.
Because of the pushers of the earth its
freedom would never perish. Glory is of
the spirit, not of achievement. She threw
back her head and laughed aloud. She
must hurry home. She must make ready
for the party and find presents for the
family. She must tell the twins the
story of their father.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
A SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS DINNER
(Concluded from page 763)
rush her packing so did not eat lunch,
and now it is well over forty hours since
she has eaten and I must have some-
thing for her."
Father looked at the food and then
at Charley and said, "What about hav-
ing a community dinner and inviting
everyone in the car to it?"
"Fine idea," voiced Charley who con-
tinued, as he spoke to me, "While this
young man brings his sister, you go
wake up our singing cowboy friend and
invite him to dinner."
I went and shook him, then told him
to come to dinner. With bleary eyes
he looked at me and shouted, "I'm billed
for Rifle Creek. Whoopee." Then he
slipped back into an easy position and
was dead to the world.
Evidently the young man was having
some trouble getting his sister to come,
but finally reluctantly she came down
the aisle, and when they arrived she
said, "Can you imagine my humiliation
in having to beg for something to eat?"
"Can you imagine our humiliation at
inviting company to dinner and having
nothing more to offer them than we
have?" asked Charley.
She sat down next to him while Fa-
ther finished slicing the bread and
onions and Charley finished spreading
the butter. While they were doing this,
she said, "About fifteen minutes ago I
offered up a silent prayer to God, asking
him to send me something to eat, for I
was famished and almost desperate. It
seemed useless, but look at the food he
sent me."
"Are you Christians?" Father quietly
asked the young man.
"Yes. Methodists."
"We, too, are Christians. Mor-
mons," replied Father and continued,
"Brother McBride, if we were home
neither of us would think of sitting down
to a meal without thanking the Lord for
his goodness to us and asking him to
bless the food. Will you return thanks?"
Never before nor since have I heard
such a prayer. He just seemed to be
talking to God like one man to another
and then —
"Especially do we thank Thee for the
food we are about to partake of. Bless
it to our use and bless the strangers who
are with us that they may accept our
humble fare with the same spirit in
which it is given. Amen."
We all echoed "Amen" and then
there was a long silence. Possibly the
others were like me — thinking of that
wonderful prayer. It was Charley who
broke the silence.
"Besides our regular turkey dinner
we have — one cheese sandwich, and one
bologna sandwich, and being the guest
of honor, lady, you may choose the one
you wish."
"If it's all the same — " she hesitated.
"Sure. Go right ahead."
"Then I'll take an onion sandwich
for I have a failing for that kind. Often
up at the boardinghouse when I had
been studying quite late I would sneak
DECEMBER, 1943
down to the kitchen and get a piece of
bread and butter and then rummage
around and find a raw onion. Then
back to my room I would go to thor-
oughly enjoy myself."
Me? I got the bologna one and really
imagined I was back home enjoying a
turkey wing, my favorite part of the
holiday bird. That was a jolly party
and finally Father said, "And for des-
sert we have neither mince pie, pumpkin
pie, nor plum pudding, but we do have
some ginger snaps, so eat them and im-
agine you are eating your favorite des-
sert." I did and believe it or not — no
mince pie Mother ever made tasted bet-
ter than that ginger snap, for it really
did taste like mince pie to me.
When the meal was over, our basket
was as empty as Old Mother Hubbard's
cupboard. All that remained on one of
the lids was one-half of an onion and
some salt in the shaker. But we were
happy.
We talked and joked for a short
time and then there was a jar from the
rear of the train. Then from an engine
up in front faintly came four or five long
blasts of the whistle which were an-
swered by two short blasts from an
engine in the rear. Then there was a
lot of puffing and spinning of drive
wheels, but finally the sand on the rails
furnished traction and we slowly moved
ahead.
Not long after, the brakeman stuck
his head in and shouted the name of
some station I could not catch and said,
"Twenty minutes for dinner."
"Hear that, Sis?" excitedly asked the
young man.
"Sure, but who wants any more din-
ner/
"No. This is where we get off. We're
home," said the young man as he arose
and shook Father's hand, thanking him
most sincerely. My hand he shook and
then Charley's. The young lady stood
up and shook Father's hand and as she
did, great tears began to form in her
eyes which soon began streaming down
her cheeks. Her voice trembled when
she spoke. She shook my hand and
when she took Charley's she choked up
and could not utter one word. Again he
was master of the occasion for he said,
"Too bad we could not have eaten the
other half of that onion and then it
would not have caused those tears to
come in your eyes."
She straightened up, swallowed hard
and bit her lip to get hold of herself, and
although the tears continued to run
down her cheeks, there was no tremble
in her voice when she said, "They are
tears of gratitude and thanksgiving.
Gratitude to you gentlemen for provid-
ing me with the most enjoyable meal I
have ever eaten. Tears of thanksgiving
to God for hearing and answering my
prayer."
The drunken cowboy in the end of
the car began to sing. What a difference
between him and this young lady and
her brother, all living in the same world,
or were they?
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S/Sgt. Milton J. Jones,
Scott Field, III.
789
* * * * * *
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While, at the present
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But, regardless of con-
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Scriptural Crossword Puzzle-The Parable of the Good Shepherd
"I am come that they might have life, and that thev might have it more abundantly."
—John 10:10.
HORIZONTAL
1 "... have power to lay it down" John 10:18
2 "I . . . come that they might have life" John 10:10
3 "for they know not . . . voice of strangers" John
10:5
5 "even . . . know I the Father" John 10:15
7 "because he ... an hireling" John 10:13
8 South American monkey
9 "but I lay . . . down of myself" John 10:18
10 "what . . . thing shall I do, that I may have
eternal life" Matt. 19:16
11 "one fold, and one . . ." John 10:16
14 Old Testament
15 Women's Christian Association
16 Father
17 Dialect of Eastern Assam
18 "To him . . , porter openeth" John 10:3
20 "there is none . . . but one, that is, God" Matt.
19:17
22 and 51 down ". . man taketh it from . . ." John
10:18
23 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for ... is the
kingdom of heaven" Matt. 5:3
25 Grain
26 "But he that entereth in by the door is the . . . of
the sheep" John 10:2
28 . . . John
29 Western continent
30 "Thou ... the Christ, the Son of the living God"
Matt 16:16
32 Tellurium
33 "my Father . . . you the true bread from heaven"
John 6:32
36 "they shall . . . my voice" John 10:16
38 A Benjamite I Chron. 7:12
39 "Therefore doth my Father . . . me" John 10:17
-11 "and he calleth . . . own sheep by name" John 10:3
43 "because I lay down my . . ." John 10:17
46 I am (cont. )
47 Smoothed
50 Froths
52 ". . . they know his voice" John 10:4
53 "and . . . wolf catcheth them" John 10:12
54 "and the . . . follow him" John 10:4
A saying of Jesus is 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 18, 20, 26, 33, 41.
43, 52. 53 and 54 combined
VERTICAL
2 ". . . the Father knoweth me" John 10:15
3 Toe ( Scot. )
4 Short for hippopotamus
5 "And a . . . will they not follow" John 10:5
6 "whose own the sheep are . . ." John 10:12
7 The same ( L. )
8 Rough nap
9 Namely
10 "he . . . before them" John 10:4
11 South Carolina
12 Son of Ishmael and grandson of Abraham I Chron,
1:30
13 "I am the ... of the sheep" John 10:7
15 "understood not what things they . . . which he
spake" John 10:6
18 Trial
19 His Imperial Highness
21 "Pay me that thou . . ." Matt. 18:28
24 Country in Europe
27 Hurrah
790
28 ". . .th the wolf coming" John 10:12
30 "Why make ye this . . . , and weep" Mark 5:39
31 ". . . also I must bring" John 10:16
32 "The . . . cometh not, but for to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy" John 10:10
33 Broad smile
34 Number of chapter in Matthew beginning "Take
heed that ye do not your alms before men"
35 . . . king (Scandinavian and German poetical
mythology)
37 Another Benjamite I Chron. 7:12
39 Jacob's first wife Gen. 29:16-25
40 Device for holding objects
42 "A city that is ... on an hill cannot be hid"
Matt. 5:14
44 "by me . . . any man enter in, he shall be saved"
John 10:9
45 Field Officers
48 Left-hand page (L.)
49 Deadhead
51 See 22 across
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Christ, Christmas, and
Santa Claus
( Continued from page 756 )
He was originally depicted in a long
robe of bright red, trimmed with gold
braid, with a bishop's pointed headdress,
wearing sandals and carrying a staff.
When his fame spread to western Eu-
rope, the tradition was expanded, and he
acquired a donkey and later a white
horse on which to ride. Then, in keeping
with the custom of gentlemen in medie-
val Spain, a black slave boy was added
to the tradition as an attendant who car-
ried the gifts in a sack which never
became empty.
During the days when Spain ruled
the Spanish Netherlands {Belgium and
Holland) St. Nicholas was adopted as
the patron saint of children. Legend
soon had him make an annual visit from
Spain to the Netherlands, where he rode
through the streets, followed by Black
Pete, his slave, on the evening of De-
cember 5. Children, upon retiring, left
hay and carrots in their wooden shoes
for his horse to eat while he left gifts
for them. His coming was distinctly a
children's treat — grown-ups were ex-
cluded from his beneficences. It was the
time when children acquired the toys
and games to keep them entertained
during the winter days when they were
forced to play indoors.
When the Protestant Reformation
swept the Netherlands, the people
stormed the Catholic churches, smash-
ing statues and stained glass windows
and destroying or plastering over the
mural paintings, which they viewed as
idolatrous. In their endeavor to destroy
further the outward signs of Roman
Catholicism, they abolished the observ-
ance of days commemorative of the
saints and symbols reminiscent of them.
St. Nicholas, however, was so much a
part of childhood joy that he alone of all
the saints was allowed to remain, and
in the traditions continued to wear the
regalia of the ancient bishop and make
his annual mysterious visits.
rTl'HE settlement of New Amsterdam
■*■ and the Hudson valley by the
Dutch early in the seventeenth century,
resulted in the importation of Saint
Nicholas into the American colonies. By
the time the British took over the Dutch
colonies and New Amsterdam was re-
christened New York, the annual visits
of the generous saint had become so
endeared to the hearts of the settlers
that no amount of British opposition
could halt his activities. England was
at war with Catholic Spain and any-
thing that was reminiscent of either
Catholicism or Spain was distasteful to
the British mind. Apparently under the
stress of this tense religious and politi-
cal feeling, the tradition of St. Nicholas
and his activities gradually underwent
some drastic changes in the minds of
the colonists in America. His homeland
was changed from Spain to the North
Pole. A horse, being unsuited for the
snowy north, was exchanged for a
( Concluded on page 792 )
DECEMBER, 1943
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2% cups sifted Globe "At" Flour
3% teaspoons baking powder (or
2V4 teaspoons double acting)
% teaspoon salt
Vi cup shortening
Vi tup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
V2 teaspoon almond extract
3 egg whiles, stiffly beaten
Sift flour once, measure; add baking
powder and salt; sift three times. Cream
shortening. Add sugar gradually, keep-
ing mixture light. Add corn syrup; beat
well. Add dry ingredients alternately
■with milk and flavoring, beat'ng well
after last addition only. Carefully fold
in egg whites, beaten stiff but not dry.
Bake in 3 greased, lined 8 in. layer
pans in moderate oven (350° F) for
about thirty minutes. When cold, spread
the filling between layers.
FILLING
3 cups ground cranberries
1 cup ground raisins
% cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
Combine cranberries, raisins, and corn
syrup in a saucepan. Cook until thick-
ened, about ten minutes. Add rind. Re-
move from heat; chill thoroughly.
Spread £3 of filling between layers.
Frost top and sides with the following
sugarless frosting. Garnish top with
swirls of remaining cranberry filling.
FROSTING
Combine V\ cup light corn syrup and 2
egg whites. Beat over boiling water 4
minutes, or until thick. Add 34 tea-
spoon vanilla.
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GLOBE "A1" PANCAKE and WAFFLE FLOUR
791
In the early days of the war
when Allied supply lines were still uncertain . . .
a stirring pledge came back from the fighting
forces: "Give us the tools and we will finish the job."
Food and equipment from American farms
and factories are now flowing steadily to every
front. But to continue winning battles, cam-
paigns . . . and eventually the war . . . the boys mak-
ing good their pledge must have more, more
and still MORE of everything. If there must
be shortages anywhere, let them be here at home
■ — never in the battle lines.
The gigantic task of stocking supply lines
has brought two-fold responsibility to us at Allis-
Chalmers. We have built — and will continue to
build — every single farm tractor, harvester, im-
plement and repair part permitted by our allot-
ments. In addition to producing standard war
materials, we have developed special new war
machines and are building them in volume. Our
monthly war production alone multiplies by sev-
eral times our highest peacetime record. This we
say not in a boastful way but as our pledge to the
boys who must have both food and bullets to win.
Our war leaders tell us that 1944 must be
this country's greatest food production year of all
time. That can be accomplished only
by bringing every usable farm ma-
chine into top working condition.
Your Allis-Chalmers dealer is pre-
pared to help you now! See him
right away. . . . Let's finish the job !
ALUS CHALMERS
■ TRACTOR DIVISION • MILWAUKEE • U.S.A.
AFTER THE WAR , .
When the last enemy lays
down his arms in uncondi-
tional surrender, we will be
ready for our regular peace-
time assignment — build-
ing the best and latest
in farm equipment.
792
Christ, Christmas, and
Santa Claus
( Concluded from page 79 1 )
sleigh and eight reindeer, the names of
which show a combination of English,
Dutch, and German influences. His
bishop's clothing likewise underwent a
transformation, with the bishop's mitre
being elongated into a stocking cap, the
cloak shortened into a coat, stripped of
its gold braid, and ermine substituted
for it. A pair of trousers was the es-
sential complement of the coat. Boots
were substituted for the sandals, and a
wide black belt, so common on the
clothing of gentlemen of the day, drew
the coat tightly about him. The Moorish
slave was discarded, and the newly
garbed saint was able to continue his
visits unmolested.
Two additional changes were made.
First, the dignified formality of his
Dutch name, "Sint Nicolaas," was
corrupted in the speech of children and
parents alike into the more easily syl-
labicated "Sinter Klaas." The dropping
of the "r," which became customary on
the Atlantic seaboard, soon led to "Sin-
ta Klaas," which was anglicized into
"Santa Claus." Second, to get away
from the Calendar of Saints and its im-
plications, his gift-giving was identified
with the gift of the Christ-child, and
his visit was timed for the eve of the
traditional birthday of Christ.
Thus, in America, Saint Nicholas was
transformed from the Catholic bishop of
legend into the jolly, fat Santa Claus
we know today, and superimposed on
the Christmas observance. His popular-
ity was so great among both children
and adults that returning colonial offi-
cials carried news of the reconstructed
saint back to England. Soon he was
exported to England, and from there his
fame spread throughout the empire,
where he is now popularly known as
"Father Christmas."
Such, after nearly two centuries, is
the strange accompaniment of the
Christmas celebration. The trappings
which time and occasion and many peo-
ples have added have sometimes seemed
far removed from the original advent,
but without exception they have sought
to promote the spirit of rejoicing, of
harmony and good will which is the es-
sence of Christmas. There is little logic
and much of fabrication in the celebra-
tion as we know it, but there is abiding
truth in the essential and meaningful ob-
servance that remains at the heart of it.
Santa Claus may seem to have over-
shadowed Christ in the popular mind,
but to those who listen, penetrating the
obscurity of myth and legend, tradition
and social custom, the message of the
angels sounds above the folk carols; to
those who see, the star of Bethlehem
shines brighter than tinsel or pagan
candle; and to those who feel, the great-
est of all gifts is still the gift of the Son
whom the Father sent, not to condemn
the world, but to redeem it.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BORDER INCIDENT
(Continued from page 753)
leaf that said "Oldenzaal to Bentheim"
and punched the next one — passed!
The next unpredicted occurrence to
relieve us was a waiting train in Salz-
bergen — held over to meet our train.
On to Osnabrueck, transferred again,
and due in Hamburg by 9:30 p.m. Dead-
line announced on the red-colored
Flugblaetter was 10:00. But everyone
seemed to be going somewhere. Main-
liners, freights, flatcars, cars loaded
with horses, cars with tanks and trucks
and armored cars and men, were all
going eastward. So our train was late
into Hamburg.
"Es muss dock einen Lug geben!" I
argued with one of the station attend-
ants; but there wasn't any train going
north, or anywhere else for us, he in-
sisted. What to do? We knew of noth-
ing we could do about it. And then —
someone heard of a train leaving Ham-
burg-Altoona for points north, due out
about 1 :30 a.m. We rushed to Altoona;
some of the brethren didn't have tickets
for Altoona, but no one bothered us
about that. At Osnabrueck we had met
another group, coming from another
border station where President Wood
(of our mission) had sent Elder Nor-
man G. Seibold to intercept any coming
that way and bring them to Denmark.
We all took the train northward, as far
as Neumuenster. From there it went to
Kiel, and we could have bought steamer
tickets from Kiel to Copenhagen but
little easier than we could have taken
the stationman's advice at Hamburg, to
buy a ticket and sail away to America!
At Neumuenster again we knew of no
train, but hoped for one to come and
take us northward. We bought a glass
of warm milk apiece, and a long Frank-
furterwuerstchen with a little roll to eat,
and had a combined Sunday supper and
Monday breakfast. They didn't object
to our staying in the waiting room there;
so we slept a bit leaning over the tables.
"^Text morning we learned of a pos-
* ™ sible Bummelzug which was to go
north about 10:30 a.m.
Our slow train came in, and we
climbed aboard; but it didn't leave. So
we inquired about the cause, and learned
of a fast train due any time. It was
"ausstedgen" again — and another wait.
It came, we climbed aboard, met the
German Grenzpolizei for the last time,
heard with thankful ears a Danish
Welbekommen, sent a telegram to Cop-
penhagen that the lost were found, and
chatted easily as we sped over prosper-
ous Danish terrain, rolling dairy coun-
try, farms, waterways — tranquil, pros-
perous, then.
We had a wonderful experience in
all. The more I think about it, the more
significant I find it. I am thankful for it,
especially when I think that always in
what has gone before lies a promise of
what may be. Of course there is a
condition upon which confidence in that
"something unpredictable" must be
based; otherwise we may come another
time to the "crucial moment" and re-
DECEMBER, 1943
main helpless. May we do what the
Lord directs, that we may have his
promise!
INSIDE HOLLAND
By John Robert Kest
There was tension in the air that
26th day of August, 1939. For al-
most a year the people of Holland
had clung desperately to the message of
hope delivered by Neville Chamberlain,
when, at the conclusion of the Munich
conference of October, 1938, he had an-
nounced, his voice ringing with deep
sincerity, "Peace has been preserved."
All believed him — -believed him be-
cause they wanted to so badly. "He
(Neville Chamberlain) has preserved
the peace!" became a motto of hope to
the people of Holland. Tablecloths,
napkins, dish towels, handkerchiefs,
copper figures, chinaware — souvenirs
with this motto inscribed were every-
where obtainable.
On this blustery day, the mood of
the Dutch matched the somewhat
gloomy weather. The peace had not
been preserved! A great many people
sensed that at that very moment war
was closer than it had yet been.
The neat, brick-paved Laan van
Poot, an orderly avenue of pleasant
Dutch residences, on which the Latter-
day Saint mission home was situated,
was swept clean by the early autumn
wind. The dunes, a mighty natural bar-
rier protecting the city from the treach-
erous North Sea, stood firm sentinel.
Little whitecaps licked the even Dutch
coastline. Wind blew in sudden, un-
expected gusts along the beachheads. It
seemed like any other early autumn
day: crisp and cool. But it was some-
how different. Many of us felt that elec-
tric "something" which seems to pre-
cede a storm.
Within the mission home there was
also tension — and activity. Elder Joseph
Fielding Smith, who was soon to direct
the evacuation of the L.D.S. mission-
aries from Europe, was speaking with
President Franklin J. Murdock of the
Dutch mission. Intermittently through-
out the day the telephone had relayed
messages from various parts of the con-
tinent. From Switzerland, Denmark,
and Germany the calls came. By early
evening the telephone was ringing every
hour or so. "Yes," Elder Smith was
saying, "all the missionaries must be
moved out of Germany, and that im-
mediately." Grave message this, that we
elders working in the office heard drift-
ing from the president's office on the
opposite side of the room.
Sometime after 10:30 p.m., President
Murdock received a call from President
Wood in Germany informing him that
a number of missionaries were arriving
in Holland by way of Oldenzaal, a tiny
village on the eastern border of Hol-
land, not more than seven kilometers
from the German border city of Ben-
theim, A number of elders from Ger-
many, he said, were to arrive sometime
(Continued on page 794)
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Provo, Utah
794
Border Incident
(Continued from page 793)
the following day. As a matter of fact,
the six elders comprising the group at
Bentheim1 crossed the border into Hol-
land late on the night of the 26th but
were hurried back to Germany after
having emphatically been refused entry
to Holland. This, President Murdock
learned as a result of a phone call re-
ceived much later that same evening.
"Decause of these phone calls and the
help the elders at Bentheim obvious-
ly stood in need of, Elder Smith and
President Murdock decided I was to go
to Oldenzaal with sufficient funds to
conduct the brethren from that point to
the mission home. It was assumed, of
course, that we would have no trouble
transporting the elders across the border
as we thought they had been refused
entry because of lack of funds and not
having had through tickets to England
in their possession. I would be able to
guarantee the government officials their
passage to England, and would be carry-
ing enough money to assure these same
cautious officers the young men would in
no way be a burden to the Dutch gov-
ernment while in Holland. It was also
decided to send Brother Glen Hawkes
or Brother Taylor to another border
town considerably further south, as
President Wood had indicated some
slight possibility existed that other
elders from Germany might arrive in
Holland by way of a more southern
route. Since Brother and Sister Smith
were leaving for Copenhagen, Den-
mark, at the first opportunity in order to
work out plans for evacuating the
Scandinavian missions, there was much
to discuss; it was nearly one o'clock be-
fore we finally retired.
It was necessary to arise about 5:30
a.m. in order to catch an early train to
Oldenzaal. Over night the storm had
calmed and the sky — even at that early
hour — was bright and clear. The rain
had left the streets wet and glistening.
How peaceful everything seemed! In the
center of The Hague, the public outdoor
markets were coming to life. The sweet
melody of multi-voiced chimes called
early worshipers to church. A city was
rousing itself, coming to life. I pinched
myself. How could war be so near?
Surely the threat of war was but an
ugly dream from which we would all
presently awaken. Riding my bicycle
over the clean Dutch cobblestones that
beautiful morning, I could not bring my-
self to believe that the elders in Ben-
theim had been refused entry into Hol-
land and were even now expecting help
from us.
Arriving at the station there was
cause for wonder at the quiet of the
usually cheery bicycle attendant, who
gave me my parking check without his
usual "Goedenmorgen, Mijneer."
Quickly I boarded the train for Olden-
zaal.
xThis group consisted of Elders Rayo Parker, Wil-
liam Thayne, Clayton Larsen, W. Haws, Frank Knutti,
and Ellis T. Rasmussen.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BORDER INCIDENT
The train sped by green and well-
kept fields. Black and white Holsteins
were grazing in lush pasture. Every-
where one could see flax fields and
truck gardens, and here and there, espe-
cially as we neared the German border,
patches of grain ripening for the harvest
soon to come. It was a beautiful pan-
orama reflecting the hard work, indus-
try, and faith of the stable Dutch peo-
ple.
There were innumerable delays. The
train trip, which could usually be made
in two hours, took well over four, and
it was after 1 1 a.m. when the train final-
ly arrived in Oldenzaal. The station
master there, a portly fellow whose
fantastic English phrases made me smile,
proved very helpful. "Yes," he said, "a
number of young Amercan missionaries
were sent back to Geimany late last
night and have not crossed back into
Oldenzaal since." This was upsetting
news, for we had fully expected the
brethren to be waiting at Oldenzaal,
needing only money and an assurance
of transportation to England in order
for the Dutch authorities to consent to
their passage to The Hague. Even after
the phone call President Murdock had
received the previous evening, we
thought the elders had been delayed by
some triviality — probably minor border
regulations. Already a good twelve
hours had elapsed since they had been
returned to Germany: something must
be very wrong indeed.
Attempting to call Bentheim in order
to learn the whereabouts of the elders
proved of little value and after three
hours I gave up the job as hopeless.
Telephone connections with Germany
had been cut off. (Afterwards it was
found that the elders in Bentheim had
been trying to call The Hague for hours,
likewise without success. )
I phoned President Murdock in The
Hague along about 2:30 p.m. and told
him that it had not been possible to con-
tact the elders, all attempts at phoning
them had proved fruitless; it was impos-
sible to contact Bentheim by phone.
The station master told me the young
men had been almost without funds and
had nothing except cameras to declare
at the Dutch border. It was obvious
that they had no tickets in their posses-
sion and probably scarcely enough
money adequately to take care of their
needs. Therefore, the fact that they
were obliged to return to Bentheim be-
gan to assume even more serious pro-
portions. President Murdock had said
the elders must be helped at any cost.
"Do your best and use your judgment
as to what should be done, Brother
Kest." This advice that President Mur-
dock had given me kept repeating itself
in my mind. But what should be done
at the moment?
'"Phe decision to go to the Dutch
• border had been made in such haste
by Elder Smith and President Murdock
that there had naturally not been time
to obtain a visa, which would have
legally enabled me to enter Germany.
In fact, at the time no one thought such
a move would be necessary. For an
hour I phoned The Hague, the Ameri-
can Consulate, the Dutch Embassy ask-
ing if a visa might not somehow be ar-
ranged. They all said it was impossible.
Hundreds of phone calls had been pour-
ing in begging them to take care of
stranded Americans and other Europe-
ans who were desperately attempting to
get out of Holland, and some of whom
were begging help to extricate relatives
and loved ones from Germany. It was
impossible to handle the sudden ab-
normal volume. Their office forces had
been working sixteen to eighteen hours
straight; no help could possibly be given
me.
After thoroughly discussing the mat-
ter with the station master and finding
that under no circumstances would they
allow the brethren to enter Holland, it
became apparent that 1 must go into
Germany, visa or no visa.
President Murdock had given me
something over 300 guilders; it was
thought this amount would take care of
any eventuality which might arise. It
took almost this entire amount to pur-
chase tickets from Oldenzaal to Copen-
hagen, Denmark. President Wood had
{Continued on page 796)
DECEMBER, 1943
795
BORDER INCIDENT
(Continued from page 795)
said only the night before, that many
missionaries had been pouring into Den-
mark, so it was reasonable to suppose
the border there would still be open. It
seems ten tickets were purchased, for
it was a speculation how many brethren
were stranded in Bentheim. The ten
tickets used up nearly all the funds and
I hoped there would be sufficient trans-
portation to take care of the elders'
needs.
The 2:30 train sped on toward Ben-
theim. Why the Dutch authorities al-
lowed me to board that train, never ask-
ing for a visa, is a mystery; it was most
irregular. Sitting tense and excited on
the hard seats, the thought reoccurred
again and again: "Is this the right thing
to do?" Here I was speeding into Ger-
many without a visa, under circum-
stances that were hardly promising,
hoping somehow the brethren might still
be there. The train stopped; we had
arrived.
A moment later there was a sharp
clicking of heels. German Blackshirts
stepped quickly through the car, their
eyes cold as steel, taking in at a glance
the occupants of each car. Handing the
leader my passport, the inevitable ques-
tion was shot at me: "Why is no visa
stamped on the proper page?" This
thought suddenly flashed through my
mind: "Brother Kest, you have always
enjoyed acting. If you have ever acted
a part well, do it now!" I explained in
exasperatingly slow and deliberately in-
coherent English that at present I was
living in Holland, had heard that some
of my friends were in Bentheim and
knowing that railroad and train trans-
portation was being curtailed, wanted to
visit them while possible. Suspicion
shone from the cold eyes of the officers.
I rambled on, deliberately, on utterly
pointless tangents, hoping all the while
they would have great difficulty under-
standing me; which they did.
Suddenly, curtly came the question:
"Can you speak no Dutch? No Ger-
man?"
"No," I replied, "I've been here a
comparatively short while and have not
learned the languages well. A few sim-
ple phrases I can understand — nothing
more." It was fortunate that the Ger-
man officer in charge spoke rather poor
English. As I went on, talking disjoint-
edly, tossing in a Dutch or German
phrase here and there, the effect I
wished to produce took hold of the men.
They must have concluded that here
was a simple, foolish American trying
to see some friends for no good reason.
Inside the little cubicle in the station
where they had taken me for question-
ing, they searched me thoroughly. What
would they do to the precious tickets
which I had in my suit coat pocket?
This thought was paramount. In my
possession was a folder in which were
M.I.A. lessons written in English which
we were translating into Dutch to be
used the coming winter season. These
they read over thoroughly, finally de-
ciding they were harmless. They con-
fiscated binder, papers, passport, all the
money on my person and started going
through each pocket in both coat and
vest. I took the ten tickets out of my
pocket and placed them on the table
before me. No one seemed to see the
tickets. The officer in charge gave me
a receipt for the money, binder, papers
and all my personal effects, and said,
"You have forty minutes to catch the
return train to Holland. After that time
we cannot guarantee your safety."
Taking the tickets from the table I
stuffed them in my pocket. Nor an eye
flickered. I had the strong impression
that the action had been entirely unob-
served. Hurriedly I left the station, my
knees weak, my palms sweating. Few
people on the street seemed to know
where any American boys were staying,
but finally someone directed me to the
Hotel Kaiserhoff. There the elders
were, trying to determine what course
they should follow, as they were almost
out of money and could no longer afford
a hotel bill.
After quiet introductions and firm
handshaking, my message was quickly
delivered. Giving the tickets to Brother
Ellis Rasmussen, who seemed to be in
charge of the group, I told them quick-
ly that these tickets from Holland might,
with luck, insure their passage to Co-
penhagen. "You must leave immediate-
ly, brethren, and try to make connec-
tions into Denmark, as all railroad
transportation is being cut off at an
alarming rate!" The elders needed no
urging, and in less than five minutes were
ready, having very little luggage with
them.
Quickly kneeling down, we held a
prayer circle and asked our Father that
we might be safely conducted to our
respective destinations. As the seven of
us knelt in fervent prayer, we all felt
a closeness and unity experienced very
infrequently in life. We were truly
united and prayed with power and faith,
believing our request would be granted,
for we realized the desperate nature of
our situation.
After prayer we rushed to the station
where Elder Rasmussen and his group
finally managed to catch a train for
Osnabruck, finally getting to Hamburg
and by wonderful circumstances catch-
ing an express train to Copenhagen —
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THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
BORDER INCIDENT
one of the last out of Germany carrying
civilians.
A fter the brethren had left, and we
"^ waved each other good-bye, I hur-
ried back to the office of the Blackshirts
only a few yards away, where my pass-
port and effects were being held. The
station master gave me my money and
papers immediately, but a Blackshirt
guard stuck my passport in his wide cuff
and marched insolently before me as the
passengers boarded the train for Hol-
land. The whistle of the train was blow-
ing, and I noted the clock indicated only
three minutes until departure time.
What was going to happen? Finally
the Blackshirt strutted over and with a
sneer handed me my passport, muttering
some deprecatory remark under his
breath. He pushed me to the ticket win-
dow where I was obliged to buy a Ger-
man ticket to Oldenzaal even though
my Dutch ticket assured passage to
Bentheim and return. It was necessary
to run in order to catch the train — the
wheels had just begun to turn. I sank
into the seat, grateful for the brethren's
escape and my own now certain and
safe return.
Upon arrival in Oldenzaal, I informed
President Murdock by telephone as to
what had been done. He told me to stay
in Oldenzaal that night, and if anything
unusual occurred I would then be there
to help. This I did. But the following
day at noon, having received word from
no one, I returned to The Hague.
The following Friday, September 1,
war was declared. The night before,
Elder Smith phoned from Copenhagen
informing us that the elders had arrived
in safety. Everyone had escaped from
Germany. The Lord had indeed been
kind.
I know that the hand of the Lord
guided me and made it possible to de-
liver tickets to the elders which sub-
sequently enabled them to escape to
Denmark. Surely German officers would
have confiscated the tickets had they
seen them, since everything else was
taken. . It is my sincere testimony that
the Lord does watch over his children
today even as in days of old.
EVIDENCES AND RECONCILIATIONS
(Concluded from page 769)
Reference to the preceding and follow-
ing paragraphs of the sermon makes
clear the intention of the speaker. Presi-
dent Young used the words as titles.
The apostate world had long taught that
Adam and Eve were the basest and
most sinful of the human race. They
had brought sin into the world. Presi-
dent Young, in contravention of this
false teaching, pointed out that Adam,
a son of God of high degree, was called
to be the progenitor of the human race.
What he did was in harmony with a
preordained plan. Adam was in reality
the noblest of mankind and would ever
stand at the head of his earth family,
as the presiding officer and patriarch,
even as a god. These were the clear
ideas of Brigham Young. Every con-
temporary commentator, and there were
several, speaking from personal knowl-
edge of President Young, made this in-
tention and doctrine clear. (See Mil-
lenialStat, 15:801.)
In the sermon referred to, President
Young places Adam unequivocally as a
separate character, "Michael," under
the dominion of the Trinity. "The earth
was organized by three distinct char-
acters, Elohim, Yahovah, and Mich-
ael." There was no substituting of
Adam for the God to whom we pray.
Likewise, the term "father" was con-
sistently applied by Brigham Young to
Adam, because Adam ' was associated
with Jesus Christ in the making of the
earth; and also in a more literal sense,
because, as the first man, he was the
father of the race. Yet there are those
who have nursed the irrational conclu-
sion that President Young implied that
Adam and God, the Father, are one and
the same individual.
Brigham Young's much-discussed
DECEMBER, 1943
sermon says that "Jesus was begotten in
the flesh by the same character that was
in the Garden of Eden, and who is our
Father in heaven." Enemies of the
church, or stupid people, reading also
that Adam is "our father and our God,"
have heralded far and wide that the
Mormons believe that Jesus Christ was
begotten of Adam. Yet, the rational
reading of the whole sermon reveals the
falsity of such a doctrine. It is explained
that God the Father was in the Garden
of Eden before Adam, that he was the
Father of Adam, and that this same per-
sonage, God the Father, who was in the
Garden of Eden before Adam, was the
Father of Jesus Christ, when the Son
took upon himself a mortal body. That
is, the same personage was the Father
of Adam and of Jesus Christ. In the
numerous published sermons of Brig-
ham Young this is the doctrine that ap-
pears; none other. The assertion is re-
peatedly made that Jesus Christ was be-
gotten by God, the Father, distinct by
any stretch of imagination from Adam.
This is a well-established Latter-day
Saint doctrine.
Absurdities of the first order may
arise unless the meanings of words are
carefully sought. And any statement
in doubt should be compared with other
statements on the same subject by the
same speaker. Then the true meaning
will be revealed.
Again, the warning: Read the scrip-
tures with care; do not become mysti-
fied by words; remember that the same
word is often used in several ways; and
defeat the evil one who is the lover of
confusion. And, there is no profit in
dealing with those who deliberately
and usually unscrupulously "wrests" the
scriptures. They do not love the truth.
— /. A. W.
Your Salt Lake Tribune is more
than a newspaper of newsprint
and ink . . . more than a newspaper
providing complete news cover-
age . . . features . . . columnists.
Your Salt Lake Tribune is an insti-
tution throughout the area it serves
... an institution to which hun-
dreds of thousands of persons turn
sach year for added services. To
this newspaper, they turn for an-
swers to many questions, solutions
to many problems. They ask ques-
tions about history and people,
weather and sports. They ask for
information on diet ... on child
care ... on growing gardens . . .
on care of clothes. They seek
coaching on income taxes . . . war
regulations . . . community prob-
lems.
The library and information de-
partment of the Salt Lake Tribune
employs 10 persons to answer
these questions. In an average
year (1942), 15,192 persons visited
this department for information.
Another 117,203 telephoned or
wrote for aid.
This service is a part of the Salt
Lake Tribune ... an added service
which helps make this newspaper
a living institution, a part of every
intermountain home.
797
P 9A2Tt*>& Py^T^sP. ty^sTr^ °/l£T**& v/I^Tt-P o/^tVaP Q/^?k*P py^TV-vP o/^?V-vP Q/^jTj^o QA^v^p Py^fV^p oy^TV^p py^TV^p oy^TV^p oy^TV-vp oy^TV-^p oa^TV^ 9y^7V*o tZZ-^Tf-Q
t: Walt Disney Productions
IjOhats the rooro ^ou thinli most of
at (Christmas ?
There's one word men of good
will everywhere associate
with Christmas.
That word is "Peace. Peace
on earth*'. . .
There can be no peace this
Christmas. Not one of us would
want the only kind of peace
there could be, an inconclusive
peace.
But we do want the right
kind of peace as soon as pos-
sible. And this Christmas we
can help hasten the coming
of that wonderful day, by
making War Bonds our chief
gift.
Every Bond you buy brightens
the chances of a better world
than man has ever known.
How, then, could you possibly
give a better present than Bonds,
Bonds, Bonds? Give them to each
member of the family. Give them
to your friends. Give them to
everybody.
Gme |0ar "Bonis for Christmas
This advertisement prepared under the auspices of the U. S. Treasury Department
and the War Advertising Council.
798
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
The Church Moves On
{Concluded fcom page 778)
Ruth May Fox Anniversary
"D uth May Fox, for many years gen-
A^- cral president of the Young Wom-
en's Mutual Improvement Association,
observed her ninetieth birthday No-
vember 1 6. Innumerable friends and as-
sociates paid tribute at a reception pre-
pared in her honor. Born in Wiltshire,
England, in 1853, she has been a de-
voted church worker all her life.
Dedications
HT'he Helper Ward chapel of the Car-
A bon Stake was dedicated October
24 by Bishop Marvin O. Ashton.
"Patrol Ushers"
C EVERAL members of the teachers' quo-
^ rum of the Salt Lake City Fifth,
Twenty-second, Thirty- fourth, Water-
loo, McKinley, and Bryan wards have
been appointed as "Patrol Ushers" to
act as guards of the pedestrian cross-
walks and nearby intersections both be-
fore and immediately following church
services.
This program, still in the experimental
stage, is sponsored by the presiding
bishopric who have recommended that
each boy be released from this work
after serving a period of not more than
six months.
Monuments of Cooperation
By Olive May Cook
HP'here are more imposing structures,
T but few that are backed by the per-
severance and cooperation that have
made possible the chapels at Carey and
at Jerome, Idaho. The major part of
the work was performed, as in other
communities, by the church members.
The one at Jerome is especially note-
worthy because it was built from ma-
terial at hand, natural lava rock.
At Carey, within a very short period
a community of only approximately 500
persons raised by donation almost
$23,000— $13,000 in cash, the rest in
labor — to complete the recreation hall
annex at a total cost of over $45,000.
The church matched the local contri-
bution.
The Carey structure is cheerful with-
in and without, classrooms abundantly
lighted, the recreation hall spacious and
modern — a wonderful place to super-
vise recreation so badly in need of di-
rection today.
Also impressive is the honor roll of
boys in the service, representing a large
percentage of the population of the
community. Inscribed are the names not
only of young L.D.S. men, but also of
all who have answered their country's
call from the district.
Carey, in common with other com-
munities, shows the cooperative spirit in
other ways, too, besides in church and
recreational activities — the tangible
willingness and material to help a neigh-
bor when fire or other disaster strikes.
See also photos on page 766.
DECEMBER, 1943
NEW-VITAL
^Jhe LjoApet \-J\inadom
From the writings and discourses of
JOHN TAYLOR
Third President of the Church
Selected, compiled and annotated by
Dr. G. Homer Durham
• Here for the first time is the representative substance of John
Taylor's thought within the covers of a single volume.
Your men will need it for 1944 Priesthood quorum study.
Your entire family should read it for its doctrinal and practical
and spiritual uplift and path-breaking ideas.
order now: THE BDDKCRAFT CD.
P. O. Box 63, Salt Lake City 1, Utah
THE GOSPEL KINGDOM
400 Pages By John Taylor $2.25 per copy
Also please send the books checked below.
□ $ Check or money order enclosed, or
□ Please send C.O.D.
o
□ This Day . . . and Always $1.50
By Richard L. Evans
D Unto the Hills $1.50
By Richard L. Evans
□ The Gay Saint $2.50
By Paul Bailey
□ Gospel Standards $2.25
By Heber J. Grant
Q Evidences and Reconciliations $1.85
By John A. Widtsoe
□ Sam Brannan and the California
Mormons $1.75
By Paul Bailey
"2 The Gospel Kingdom
By John Taylor
□ In the Gospel Net $1.25
By John A. Widtsoe
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□ Way to Perfection $1.25
By Joseph Fielding Smith
□ For This My Glory $2.50
By Paul Bailey
Name '.
Address
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799
Bountiful, Utah
Editors:
In the September Era, illustrating Levi Edgar Young's article,
there appeared a photograph of Michelangelo's statue in
marble of Moses, which I believe is in St. Peter's Cathedral
in Rome.
Did you carefully notice the head of this statue? If you did,
or when you do, you will plainly see that there are two small
horns on the head of Moses. But when I say small, that is
only in a comparative way with other horns. On the head of
Moses they could not be so considered, for they appear quite
prominent when observed.
Horns on the head of Moses! Why were they put there by
this great sculptor, probably the world's greatest?
My understanding of it is this (and of course it goes back
to the point we frequently bring up of the Bible's being trans-
lated correctly) : Michelangelo lived during the era of 1500;
at that time Bible scholars had misunderstood that part of
Exodus, chapter 34, verse 29, and had not properly distinguished
between the words karan and keren, one meaning horned and
the other shone.
And so, as related, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai
after talking with God, and when the people of Israel were
afraid of him because of his appearance, with the dilemma of
the conflicting words before the translators of that era, instead
of moulding the words into "And Moses wist not that his face
shone," which was the very likely result of being in the pres-
ence of the Almighty, they placed the unlikely but more ter-
rifying condition of "And Moses wist not that he was horned."
And so what could the great Michelangelo do, after reading
that part of Exodus as the Bible was then translated, but put
horns on the Moses he was to carve out of marble? For there
in the Bible he read it very plainly indeed.
Several years ago I clipped from a newspaper Ripley's
picture and explanation of the above in one of his cartoons
of "Believe It or Not." I believe it to be authentic and the
explanation is very reasonable.
Sincerely,
Wendell B. Hammond
J. R. Dummelow, in his Commentary on the Holy Bible (Mac-
millan, 1937, p. 84), gives the following explanation:
"The Hebrew verb rendered 'shone' in this passage (Exodus
34:29) is derived from the word meaning 'horn,' which is used
figuratively to denote rays or flashes of light proceeding from
a luminous object (see e.g. Hab. 3:4. . . .) The Vulgate (Latin
version) accordingly says of Moses' face that it was cotnuta,
which has led to the curious representation of Moses with horns,
as seen in early art." — Ed.
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office requires that new gift subscriptions (this does not
apply to renewals) for army personnel overseas be entered
only if the soldiers have requested the magazine. Simply note
on your order that the soldier has made such a request, if you
wish to send him a new gift subscription at any of the following
addresses:
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This post office ruling applies only to army personnel over-
seas— not to navy, marine corps, or coast guard.
$ .
Dear Editors:
Recently I was moved to North Africa far from the church.
Today (Sunday) I received The Improvement Era, and I
can't express my emotions as to how welcome it was. It in-
formed me of an L.D.S. service meeting being held here, which
I will try to locate.
To those who make this perfect gift possible, I wish to give
my sincerest thanks.
Jack Chappell,
Medical Corps
Green River, Wyoming
Dear Editors:
* I 'ODAY the price of my Era subscription was returned to me
*• with interest. In Brother Thomas E. McKay's conference
report was a greeting to the church from the Danish mission. It
meant a great deal to me because Brother Orson B. West is my
second cousin. Although he and I have never met, we did
write to each other until the war. I have wondered about them.
You will never quite know the feeling I had when I saw his
name. May the Lord continue to bless our Improvement Eva.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Blossom R. Schwab
-#-
Tough Customer?
Diner: "I want to see the manager. I never saw anything
as tough as this steak."
Waitress: "You will when you see the manager."
Heartfelt
Bride: "Boo-hoo! To think that cake would turn out this
way when I put my very heart into it! Boo-hoo!"
Bridegroom: "Never mind, honey. Next time try baking
one when you're lighthearted."
Centigrade?
"Here's an article that tells how paper can be used to keep a
person warm."
"I know that from experience. I'll never forget how a 30-
day note kept me in a sweat for a month."
Break vs. Brake
Wife: "What a nerve this farmer has to charge us $10 for
towing us only half a mile!"
Husband: "I'm making him earn it. I've got the brakes on."
Exhaustive
Reporter: "What is the professor's research work?"
Professor's housekeeper: "It consists principally of hunting
for his spectacles."
Fitful Slumber
Rastus: "What's the matter o' you, Mose? You looks so
po'ly."
Mose: "Ah is got whut de doctors call insomnia; ah keeps
waking up eve'y two or three days."
Hereditary?
Little Willie: "Mom, you said the baby has your eyes
and daddy's nose, didn't you?"
Mother: "Yes, dear."
Little Willie: "Well, you'd better watch him; he has grand-
pa's teeth now."
Lost, One I. Q.
Father (facetiously) : "Don't you think our son gets his
intelligence from me?"
Mother (likewise): "He must. I've still got mine."
Boot Definitely
Freshman: "Were you ever bothered with athlete's foot?"
Sophomore: "Yes, once when the captain of the football
team caught me with his girl."
Pointed Pictographs
Letter from son in college: "Dear Dad: Gue$$ what I need
mo$t of all! That'$ right. $end it along. Be$t wi$he$. Your
$on, Knowlton."
Letter from Dad: "Dear KNOwlton: NOthing ever happens
here. We kNOw you like your school. Write us aNOther
letter aNOn. NOra was asking about you. You kNOw
NOra; NOw I kNOw NO news. Dad."
800
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
vrft**
M»*B*I
lour grocer stocks
cheese . . . probably
carries from 8 to
16 different kinds.
And the average
grocer stocks about
12 different flour
items, too.
T^sonre 20 different tomato products.
AU in all the average grocer
Stocks a total of about
2,500 items
,„ is- Ho« do all these 2.500 items
Question is. n»
get to the grocer?
SBt»5
.CO
HUT
ml
We Safeway people havo ,
perfect a more efficient Z*° * hard to
JAM
CO.
This is the old-fashioned way it was done.
Frequent calls by many competing sup-
pliers. On the average about 60 different
trucks called on a grocer, each truck
bringing a part of the items he needed.
Our idea is to get ALT n, •
^st... and then WhImemSt0getW
to our stores result „ g0 out
reg™arly, all together.
You can see thi« n.,*
waste moti„n CUtS°UtaI»' of costly
eI~ frees
:nednpCsp-"dw
a , ~ farms-
work on tar« .oinent.
U saves ^^^^
And saves a tre*
truck tires.
s^rtt&r have worked
to improve met* _^^mm
v ratine needless marketing costs.
the Safeway COnsumer s dollar.
*!ffi«-S ion. And offered consent
^ B tr» consumers.
■** ,w. more efficient food distribute
t°day' * a naSnal asset, to war or peace,
^XdA^ts b, the straigH.cs. p.**
I
Highway or country lane, snow
trail or jungle path — all the
roads of all the world are vi-
brant with the memory of those
who have gone forth ... and
the hope of their return.
What assurance have you, when you set out, that
you will return to those who wait? Make sure now
that— ^whatever happens— they will be provided for.
H efeer J. forant. Pre u
Salt Ufce Crty, Utah
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